Tunisian

Couscous bel Osbane

A traditional Tunisian couscous served with osbane, a carefully cleaned sheep tripe pouch stuffed with spiced offal, rice, herbs, and greens. The pouch cooks in a red chickpea sauce while the couscous steams above it, soaking up the deep, fragrant broth.

Ingredients

• Fine or medium couscous200g
• Cleaned sheep tripe or stomach pouch1 small piece, about 20 cm
• Mixed lamb offal, such as liver, heart, and lung, finely diced120g
• Short-grain rice, rinsed60g
• Swiss chard or spinach, finely chopped1 packed cup
• Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped1/2 cup
• Fresh coriander, finely chopped1/4 cup
• Onion, finely chopped1 small
• Garlic, crushed3 cloves
• Cooked or soaked chickpeas1/2 cup
• Tomato paste2 tablespoons
• Harissa1 tablespoon
• Olive oil5 tablespoons
• Ground coriander and caraway spice blend, tabil2 teaspoons
• Ground caraway1/2 teaspoon
• Sweet paprika1 teaspoon
• Ground turmeric1/2 teaspoon
• Cayenne pepper or chili powder1/2 teaspoon
• Dried mint1 teaspoon
• Carrot, peeled and halved1
• Potato, peeled and halved1 medium
• Pumpkin or squash wedge150g
• Green chili1
• Salt and black pepperto taste
• White vinegar and coarse salt, for cleaning the tripeas needed
• Cotton kitchen threadas needed

Method

1. Scrub the tripe or stomach pouch thoroughly with coarse salt and vinegar, rinse several times, scrape any dark or rough patches, then rinse again until it smells clean.
2. Sew the tripe into a pouch, leaving one opening large enough for stuffing.
3. In a bowl, combine the diced offal, rinsed rice, chopped chard, parsley, coriander, half the onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon tabil, ground caraway, dried mint, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, salt, and black pepper.
4. Fill the tripe pouch only two-thirds full, because the rice will swell, then sew the opening closed tightly and prick the pouch in several places with a needle.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom of a couscoussier and fry the remaining onion until softened.
6. Stir in the tomato paste, harissa, remaining garlic, remaining tabil, remaining paprika, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, then cook for 2 minutes until the oil turns red.
7. Add the chickpeas, carrot, potato, pumpkin, green chili, and about 1.2 liters water, then bring to a simmer.
8. Lower the osbane pouch gently into the sauce and simmer for 45 minutes before steaming the couscous.
9. Rub the dry couscous with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt, sprinkle with about 100 ml water, and let it absorb for 10 minutes.
10. Place the couscous in the steamer basket over the simmering sauce and steam uncovered for 25 minutes.
11. Tip the couscous into a wide bowl, break up the grains with a spoon, sprinkle with another 100 ml water, rest for 10 minutes, then return it to the steamer for a second 20-minute steaming.
12. Check the osbane; it should feel firm and the rice inside should be cooked, then remove it and keep it warm.
13. Continue simmering the sauce until the chickpeas and vegetables are tender and the broth is rich and red.
14. Tip the couscous into a bowl, moisten it gradually with ladles of the red sauce, and fluff until the grains are tender but separate.
15. Mound the couscous on a serving platter, arrange the vegetables and chickpeas around it, slice the osbane thickly, and place it on top with extra sauce spooned over.

Common questions