Seffa Medfouna (Moroccan Sweet Steamed Couscous with Cinnamon and Almonds)
Fluffy couscous steamed twice until light and tender, tossed with butter, plump raisins and a little sugar, then mounded high and topped with golden toasted almonds, stripes of cinnamon and a snowy dusting of powdered sugar. A classic Moroccan celebration dish that works as dessert or a sweet supper.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 large platter (6 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use plain dry fine or medium couscous, not instant pre-seasoned mixes and not pearl (Israeli) couscous.
- No couscoussier? Set a large metal colander or steamer basket over a pot, lined with a damp cheesecloth or thin kitchen towel, so the couscous sits at least 2 inches above the water and the lid fits snugly.
- Have all ingredients measured before you start, because the steaming and raking steps move quickly.
- Read the timing: the couscous rests twice (10 minutes each) and steams twice (15 minutes each).
Soak raisins, toast almonds
- Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water; leave to plump while you work.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped almonds and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Tip onto a plate and stir in 1 tsp of the cinnamon.
- Set aside for topping.
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Ready when: Almonds are golden and smell nutty; pull them off just before they look fully brown, as they keep darkening on the plate.
Tip: Chopped almonds go from golden to burnt in seconds, so don't walk away.
Hydrate the couscous
- Put the couscous in a large wide bowl.
- Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and rub between your palms for 1 minute until every grain is coated.
- Dissolve the salt in 1 cup (240 ml) warm water and sprinkle it over the couscous in 3 additions, rubbing gently after each.
- Let it rest 10 minutes, uncovered, until the grains have absorbed the water and look plump.
- Meanwhile, fill the steamer pot with about 2 inches (5 cm) of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
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Ready when: Grains are damp, swollen and no standing water remains in the bowl.
Tip: Add water gradually; too much at once makes clumpy, gummy couscous.
Rake and first steam
- Rub the grains between your fingertips to break up any lumps.
- Line the steamer basket with damp cheesecloth and pile in the couscous loosely without packing.
- Set it over the boiling water, making sure the water does not touch the basket.
- Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Steam rises steadily through the whole mound and the grains are hot to the touch.
Tip: If steam escapes around the rim of a colander, wrap a towel strip around the join to seal it.
Second hydration
- Tip the hot couscous into the large bowl.
- Sprinkle with ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water and toss gently with a fork.
- Rake and rub through the grains to break up every lump.
- Let it rest 10 minutes.
- Drain the raisins in the meantime and top up the steamer water if it has dropped below 1 inch.
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Ready when: Grains look slightly plumper and separate easily with no lumps.
Tip: Be careful, the couscous is very hot. Use a fork rather than your hands for the first toss.
Second steam
- Return the couscous to the lined steamer, again heaped loosely.
- Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Grains are tender and fluffy with no hard or chalky center when you taste a few.
Toss with butter and sugar
- Tip the couscous into the bowl.
- Add the 4 tbsp room-temperature butter, ¼ cup powdered sugar, drained raisins and the orange blossom water, if using.
- Toss gently with a fork and rake for 2 to 3 minutes, until the butter melts and coats every grain.
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Ready when: Couscous is glossy, light and fluffy, and no butter pieces remain visible.
Tip: Taste and add a spoonful more powdered sugar if you like it sweeter.
Mound and decorate
- Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan or the microwave.
- Pile the couscous onto a 12-inch (30 cm) platter in a tall dome.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
- Cover the dome generously with the toasted cinnamon almonds.
- Dust through a sieve with the ¼ cup powdered sugar.
- Use the remaining 2 tsp cinnamon to draw lines or a lattice from the top down the sides.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: Dome is evenly coated in almonds with clean cinnamon and sugar lines.
Tip: Press a paper strip or a ruler edge on the sugar to make sharp cinnamon stripes.
Good to know
Tips
- Never pack the couscous into the steamer; loose grains let steam pass through and stay fluffy.
- Rake and break lumps after each hydration; this is what makes it light rather than heavy.
- Serve with cold milk or hot mint tea, as is traditional.
- The steamer water must not touch the couscous; otherwise the bottom turns soggy.
Make ahead
"Steam and butter the couscous (through step 6) up to 4 hours ahead. Keep covered at room temperature, then re-steam for 5 minutes or microwave covered for 2 minutes before mounding and decorating. Toast almonds up to 2 days ahead and store airtight."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours, covered. Fridge: store undecorated couscous in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months without the sugar and almond topping. Reheat covered with 1 to 2 tbsp water in the microwave or in a steamer for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, then re-top with butter, almonds, cinnamon and powdered sugar.
Substitutions
- raisins → chopped pitted dates or dried apricots. Use the same weight; no soaking needed for soft dates.
- blanched whole almonds → walnuts or pistachios. Toast for the same time; pistachios need only 2 to 3 minutes.
- unsalted butter → smen or ghee. Ghee gives a similar richness; smen adds a traditional funky flavor, so use just 2 tbsp.
- orange blossom water → rose water. Use 1 tsp, as it is more intense.