Sweet mesfouf

Sweet mesfouf : Tunisian steamed-grain dish.

Ingredients

• 400 g dry fine couscous
• 50 g melted unsalted butter
• 120 g pitted dates, chopped
• 80 g raisins
• 60 g blanched almonds, ground or chopped
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• 200 ml water

Preparation

Moisten couscous gradually with the stated water, mix with fingers and separate grains without forming a compact ball.

Cover and rest for 10 minutes. With baker’s yeast, wait for visible expansion; without yeast, the rest only relaxes the dough.

Place in the steamer basket above boiling water without touching it. Steam for 20 minutes.

Tip couscous into a wide dish, mix in melted unsalted butter and fluff with a fork or fingers once no longer piping hot.

Add raisins and mix carefully to distribute the ingredients and seasoning.

Place in the steamer basket above boiling water without touching it. Steam for 15 minutes.

Add pitted dates, chopped, blanched almonds, ground or chopped, ground cinnamon and mix carefully to distribute the ingredients and seasoning.

Serve warm or at the preferred serving temperature, after stirring and checking the consistency. Divide into the stated portions.