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1
Prepare the grain as described in An Easy Way of Preparing Quick-Cooking Couscous in the Oven (page 376), using the quantities given in the ingredients list above.
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2
Prepare the meaty stew or soup.
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3
In a large pan, put the meat and about 1/2 pound of the onions, coarsely chopped, and cover with about 1 1/2 quarts water.
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4
Bring to the boil and remove the scum.
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5
Add salt, pepper, the ginger, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the cloves and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
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6
Add the saffron and more water to keep the meat well covered (there should be a lot of broth) and simmer for 1/2 hour more.
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7
The meat should be so tender you could pull it apart with your hands.
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8
For the honeyed onion tfaya, cut the remaining onions in half and slice them.
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9
Put them in a pan with about 1 cup water.
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10
Put the lid on and cook, covered, over low heat (they will steam) for about 1/2 hour, until the onions are very soft.
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11
Remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated.
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12
Add the butter and oil and cook until the onions are golden.
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13
Stir in the honey and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, the drained raisins, and a pinch of salt and cook 10 minutes more, or until the onions caramelize and become brown.
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14
Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan or fry them in a drop of oil until golden, turning them over.
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15
Coarsely chop about half of them.
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16
To serve, make a mound of couscous and make a hollow in the center.
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17
Moisten with a ladle of the meat broth.
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18
Put the meat in the hollow and cover with the onion-and-raisin tfaya.
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19
Sprinkle with a mixture of chopped and whole toasted or fried blanched almonds, and serve the broth separately.
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20
Alternatively, you might prefer to serve everything separately, or straight into soup plates.
