[ENG] Seffa Couscous – Sweet Couscous with Dried Fruits & Cinnamon | Flavors of Morocco

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Flavors of Morocco is the leading online cooking school dedicated to authentic Moroccan cuisine. Our expert Moroccan chefs, known as dadas, will teach you all the secrets of making Moroccan food no matter where you are.
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ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
Couscous, is one of Morocco’s most popular and beloved dishes. The name also refers to the grain used as the base of the dish.
In Morocco, this traditional dish is typically made on Fridays, but you can enjoy it on any day! There are many different ways to prepare this famous dish. Different proteins, and vegetables can be added. Some like it sweet with the addition of Tfaya (onion and raisin sauce) or by turning it into Seffa.

In today’s course, the dada will show you how to make the famous seffa with couscous.

The recipe is a classic dish that is very popular for special occasions and family gathering. the couscous is steamed in the traditional way, then it’s sweetened with sweetened condensed milk, then it’s topped with roasted peanuts (or almonds), caramelized dried fruits, and eggs.

Follow the dada’s instructions and replicate this stunning meal right at home!

Ingredients
For the couscous
1kg (2lbs) medium or fine grain couscous
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
800ml (4 cups) water
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Water for steaming the couscous
600g (21 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
500ml (2.5 cups) whole milk
250g (2 sticks) butter

For the prunes
250g (9 ounces) dried prunes
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
500ml (2 cups) water
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons honey

For the apricots
250g (9 ounces) dried apricots
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
500ml (2 cups) water
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons honey

For the quail eggs
10 quail eggs
Water for boiling the eggs

For the almonds
250g (9 ounces) roasted or fried almonds
1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
A couple pieces of mastic gum

For decoration
Toothpicks
Chia seeds
Walnuts

Steps
Step 1: Preparing the couscous
1- Place the couscous in a large plate.
2- Add the vegetable oil, then mix by hand to help the couscous absorb all the oil.
3- Add the water, then continue mixing.
4- Add the salt then mix to spread it throughout the couscous.
5- Set the couscous aside to rest for 10 minutes.
6- Fill up 2/3rd of the stockpot of a double boiler with water.
7- Place the stockpot over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
Optional: Dip a clean piece of cloth in water, and ring out most of the water. Place the cloth around the rim of the stockpot. In Morocco, this method is used to seal the stockpot and direct the steam directly toward the steamer basket, and is called “the lock”.
Step 2: Preparing the caramelized prunes
1- Place the prunes, sugar, ground cinnamon, and water in a pot.
2- Place the pot over medium heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the prunes soften.
3- Add the cinnamon sticks and honey, then continue for another minute and turn off the heat.
Step 3: Preparing the caramelized apricots
1- Place the apricots, sugar, ground cinnamon, and water in a pot.
2- Place the pot over medium heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the apricots soften.
3- Add the cinnamon sticks and honey, then continue for another minute and turn off the heat.
Step 4: Cooking the couscous
Steaming round 1:
1- Fluff the couscous by hand to break up any lumps.
2- Transfer the couscous to the steamer basket, then place it over the stockpot.
3- Cook the couscous for 30 minutes.
Steaming round 2:
1- Pour the couscous back into the large pot, break it apart with a large spoon, then set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2- Add the condensed milk and whole milk to the couscous, then mix to combine with a spoon.
3- Set the couscous aside to absorb the milk for 5 minutes.
4- Fluff the couscous by hand to help break apart any large clumps.
5- Transfer the couscous back into the steamer basket, place it on the stockpot, and cook for another 20 minutes.
Steaming round 3:
1- Transfer the couscous back to the large plate.
2- Add the butter while the couscous is still hot. Set aside for 5 minutes until the butter melts and the couscous cools down.
Step 5: Preparing the quail eggs
1- Bring water to a boil in a pot.
2- Add the quail eggs and boil for 5 minutes.
3- Place the cooked quail eggs in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
4- Peel the quail eggs.
Step 6: Preparing the almonds
1- Place the almonds, sugar, and mastic gum in a food processor.
2- Blend the almonds to a coarse consistency.
Step 7: Serving the Seffa
1- Serve with Moroccan tea or milk (either plain or flavored with orange blossom water), then enjoy!

hello I am Syeda from Marrakech today I am going to prepare Safa with couscous this dish is known to be served at celebrations weddings and for special guests let’s get started this is the couscous [Music] we pour the couscous into a large shallow plate then coat it with some oil make sure to use vegetable oil you should evenly distribute the oil so the couscous grains do not stick the oil prevents the couscous from clumping once you have coated the couscous with oil soak it with water the more water the couscous absorbs the softer it becomes the water tenderizes the couscous if you add water without coating the couscous with oil first the couscous will get sticky and it will be hard to break apart the grains later we have now added enough water time to add some salt [Music] this is the amount of salt I use the water will help the salt flavor every couscous grain water and salt should be evenly distributed in the couscous each couscous grain needs to be coated with salt we have now added oil water and salt to the couscous I will set it aside to absorb all the ingredients in the meantime let’s fill the stock pot of the double boiler with water this water will be used for steaming the couscous foreign enough water to steam the couscous fill up the pot with water until it reaches the handles let’s remove the steamer basket to install this piece of cloth that we call the lock we use it to prevent the steam from escaping here is our dampened lock now wrap it around the rim of the pot make sure that it is a clean piece of cloth that you are using we use the lock to prevent the steam from escaping and direct it upwards to steam the vermicelli the lock is well secured now if you don’t lock the pot the couscous won’t steam properly let’s prepare the prunes we will place it in a pot like this one we use prunes that have been washed and cleaned transfer them to the pot add two tablespoons of sugar foreign just a dash then we add water the time it takes for the water to evaporate is enough to caramelize the prunes let’s place the pot on the stove we prepare the apricots similarly to the prunes they are clean and washed add two tablespoons of sugar a dash of cinnamon and water after using ground cinnamon we will add cinnamon sticks to both pots once the water starts boiling two cinnamon sticks one for the apricots and the other for the prunes now turn on the heat let’s check if the couscous has absorbed all the water after soaking up the water the couscous gets a bit lumpy we will now fluff it to separate the grains and remove any clumping by fluffing the couscous like this it is starting to unclump as you can see do not get intimidated by the big clumps foreign recipe is called Safa couscous and it is different from other couscous variations in fact people used to make safasoli with couscous unlike nowadays where people use vermicelli instead growing up I was more familiar with couscous Safa we have now separated the couscous grains let’s transfer it into the steamer basket the water is boiling in the meantime the couscous grains double in size when drizzled with water I will place the steamer basket on top of the pot add the cinnamon sticks to the pot add two cinnamon sticks to the prunes add two others to the apricots after adding the cinnamon sticks I will now add some honey pure honey the honey brings the sweetness of the prunes forward add two tablespoons of Honey to the apricots as well honey also keeps the apricots and prunes moist let’s now turn off the heat and move to cool the couscous down the steam is coming through the couscous grains It is Well hydrated it needs about 30 minutes to cook and soften let’s transfer it to the large plate the couscous has steamed and is almost ready we will let it cool then add the milk we have cooled down the couscous I will now add the milk condensed milk once you have added the condensed milk add the regular milk Okay add enough milk to flavor all the couscous grains we only add milk to couscous if we are using to make suffer milk is the star ingredient in making this dish foreign we need both condensed and regular milk in this recipe set the couscous aside for five minutes to absorb the milk I will fluff the couscous to avoid any clumping you can easily separate the clumps by rubbing the couscous between your hands even if we apply pressure on the couscous it won’t clump after absorbing the milk the couscous has tripled in size after separating the grains transfer the couscous to the steamer basket foreign we have placed the couscous back in the steamer basket to complete the second round of steaming foreign now that we let the couscous steam again we will boil the quail eggs add enough water to cover the quail eggs while boiling foreign quail eggs are not different from the typical chicken eggs they both take about the same time to boil let’s turn off the heat for both the sofa and quail eggs foreign let’s cool down the eggs place the quail eggs in a bowl of cold water and set them aside let’s take the couscous off the heat to cool down the couscous is nicely cooked set it aside to cool down then we will coat it with butter add the butter to the couscous while it is still hot so the butter melts foreign the butter pairs very well with a caramelized dried fruits in this recipe let’s add the butter add it while the couscous is still hot this is the amount of butter we need foreign the butter is starting to melt once it completely melts mix it with the couscous to evenly distribute it in the sofa set aside to cool down and let the butter melt now let’s go back to the eggs time to peel the quail eggs foreign quail eggs are best for decoration thank you I rinse my hand to remove any eggshell pieces stuck to my fingers the quail eggs can be a bit hard to peel their shell is firm always rinse your hands in water to remove the little eggshell pieces foreign let’s now blend the almonds we used fried or roasted almonds [Applause] add a tablespoon of sugar granulated sugar mastic gum now blend the almonds foreign [Applause] the almonds are now Blended let’s place them in a bowl let’s fluff the couscous and then plate it we mix it like this to distribute the butter through the couscous if you notice any clumps just fluff it up like this the sofa is usually served in a dome shape the sofa is all arranged now let’s add the prunes and apricots foreign sticks we place the prunes on a plate they are very soft I will place the apricots on the plate too as you can see we added the cinnamon sticks to the apricots as well foreign the ground cinnamon gives a nice color and the cinnamon sticks add extra flavor and fragrance to the fruits when caramelized we will place the almonds at the top of the couscous Dome foreign the almonds are all Blended let’s add the prunes all done for the prunes we will now serve the apricots the prunes and apricots are very similar in flavor the only difference is that the apricots are a little bit more acidic than the sweet prunes after arranging the almonds prunes and apricots we will now add the eggs for the quail eggs grab one egg and a toothpick place the toothpick in the egg and dip in the Chia seeds foreign let’s add the quail eggs foreign foreign I have changed my head covering to serve the dish covering is used for special and festifications especially in the regions of soos Marrakech and Eureka where women put this covering to celebrate joyous events the sofa with couscous is now ready it can be eaten with a spoon serve it with Moroccan tea or you can substitute the tea with milk either plain milk or flavored with orange blossom water this is the sofa with couscous I hope you’ll like it enjoy [Music]