Moroccan

Seffa Medfouna

A festive Moroccan dish of delicately steamed vermicelli mounded over saffron-ginger chicken, then finished with cinnamon, powdered sugar, and almonds. The savory filling is hidden inside the sweet, buttery seffa in the traditional medfouna style.

Ingredients

• Fine broken vermicelli, chaariya200g
• Chicken thighs, bone-in or boneless300g
• Yellow onion, finely chopped1 large
• Vegetable oil2 tbsp
• Unsalted butter2 tbsp
• Smen or clarified butter1 tsp
• Ground ginger1 tsp
• Ground turmeric1/4 tsp
• Saffron threads, crumbled1 small pinch
• Ground cinnamon1/2 tsp, plus more for garnish
• White pepper1/4 tsp
• Salt1 1/4 tsp, divided
• Fresh parsley and cilantro, tied together1 small bouquet
• Water3 cups, plus more for steaming
• Powdered sugar3 tbsp, plus more for garnish
• Orange blossom water1 tsp
• Blanched almonds1/3 cup
• Oil for frying almondsas needed

Method

1. In the bottom of a couscoussier, combine the chicken, onion, vegetable oil, smen, ginger, turmeric, saffron, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, white pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
2. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, turning the chicken so it absorbs the spices and the onion begins to soften.
3. Add 3 cups water and the herb bouquet, cover, and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until the chicken is very tender.
4. Meanwhile, place the broken vermicelli in a wide tray and rub it with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until every strand is lightly coated.
5. Bring water to a steady simmer in the couscoussier, set the vermicelli in the steamer basket, and steam uncovered for 20 minutes once steam rises through the noodles.
6. Tip the vermicelli into a wide dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup salted water using the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and gently lift and separate the strands with your fingers or forks until they absorb the water.
7. Return the vermicelli to the steamer and steam for 15 minutes more.
8. Tip it out again, sprinkle with another 1/3 cup water, separate the strands, and let them rest for 5 minutes.
9. Steam the vermicelli a third time for 15 minutes, until tender and fluffy, then tip it into a wide dish and toss with the butter, orange blossom water, powdered sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
10. Remove the cooked chicken from the sauce, discard bones if needed, and shred the meat into generous pieces.
11. Reduce the onion sauce over medium heat until thick, glossy, and almost jammy, then return the shredded chicken to the sauce and coat well.
12. Fry the blanched almonds in oil until golden, drain, and roughly chop or crush half of them while leaving the rest whole for garnish.
13. Spread one third of the sweet vermicelli on a serving plate, spoon the chicken and onion filling in the center, and cover completely with the remaining vermicelli to form a high dome.
14. Decorate the dome with lines of powdered sugar and cinnamon, then finish with the fried almonds and serve warm.

Common questions