Couscous sebha godaar (7 groentencouscous)

Voor ➍ personen

500 gram couscous

1 kg lamsvlees (bij voorkeur met bot, of schenkel)*

2 grote uien

1 tomaat

½ tl saffraan

een handvol koriander

olijfolie

1,5 liter groentebouillon

200 g rapen

200 g jonge wortelen

100 g erwten

1 courgette

¼ bloemkool

100 gram gekookte kikkererwten

een scheutje boter

een paar muntblaadjes

Verhit de olie en braad het vlees aan. Voeg de geringde uien toe. Omslag.

Schil de tomaat, snij in stukjes en voeg, zodra de uien glazig zijn, toe aan het mengsel.

Voeg wat van de bouillon toe, voeg de koriander en saffraan toe. Breng aan de kook en kook het vlees*. (Voor 500 g duurt het 10-15 m voordat het vlees is opgewarmd en nog eens 10 m om te koken).

Snijd ondertussen de groenten in grove stukken en voeg toe aan het mengsel, stevige groenten eerst.

Stoom de couscous bovenop het vlees en de groenten. Als je klaar bent, verwijder je de couscous en meng je er wat boter door.

Serveer de couscous op een groot bord. Leg het vlees in het midden en versier met wat groenten, wat saus en een paar blaadjes munt of verse koriander. Serveer de groenten en saus apart.

*Braad het vlees misschien liever apart, met wat uien, tot het gaar is en voeg het een paar m voor het opdienen toe aan de groenten en de saus. Hoewel niet authentiek, behoudt het de smaak en de structuur van het vlees zeer goed. Desalniettemin moeten er uien zijn om de bereiding van de groenten en de saus te starten.

'Couscous' dankt zijn naam aan het Berberse 'k'seksu'. Het werd het gerecht dat we vandaag kennen in Noord-Afrika, met enkele regionale verschillen in Marokko, Algerije en Tunesië. De laatste werd overgenomen door Franse kolonialisten en in Frankrijk geïntroduceerd als hoofdvoedsel. Dit recept is authentiek Marokkaans, en verwijst naar de magische kracht van het getal 7. Het kan gemaakt worden met 7 andere groenten die goed samen smaken.

Kinoko takikomi gohan (Japanse rijst met champignons)

For ➏

600 g (3 cups) Japanese premium short-grain rice (or substitute with brown rice)
70 cl (3 cups) dashi stock (substitute with 3 cups water mixed with 1 ts dried bonito dashi powder)*
3 tbs soy sauce (shoyu)
2 tbs mirin
1 tbs cooking sake
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
15 cl (1 cup) water (for reconstituting dried shiitake mushrooms; this reserve liquid is to be combined with the dashi stock)
100 g (½ cup) of fresh mixed mushrooms (shimeji mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, and hiratake mushrooms)

Wash and rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside in rice cooker**. 
Rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms in 15 cl water for 30-60 m. Remove shiitake mushrooms and squeeze excess water from them. 
Reserve the soaking liquid.
Slice rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and either slice or break apart fresh mushrooms with your hands into large bite-sized pieces.
Add soy sauce, mirin, and sake to the washed rice in the rice cooker**. 
Add reserved shiitake liquid to a large measuring cup. Add water to the reserved shiitake liquid until a total of 3 cups is measured. Otherwise, measure a total of 3 cups of liquid, combining the reserved shiitake liquid and water.
Add 1 ts dried bonito dashi powder (or konbu dashi) and dissolve the powder with the water and reserved shiitake liquid mixture to make a dashi stock. 
Add this combined dashi stock to the rice cooker to make 3 cups of liquid according to the measuring guide indicated within the inner bowl of your rice cooker**. If more liquid is needed to meet the 3-cup marker indicated on the inner rice cooker bowl, add water. 
Add dried shiitake slices and fresh mushroom mixture to the rice. Gently incorporate all of the ingredients. Steam the rice according to the instructions provided with your rice cooker**.
After the rice is steamed, allow it to rest in the rice cooker** for 10 m.
Gently mix the rice and serve.

*Substitute katsuo (bonito fish) dashi with konbu (kelp) dashi for a vegan dish.
**Steam the rice on a stove-top instead. Use same volume of rice and liquid (like 1½ cup for 2-4 persons. 1½ cup uncooked rice will make 4½ cup steamed rice)
[optional]: rinse the rice in 2 or 3 changes of water until it runs clear and not milky. It will make the rice less sticky.
[optional]: soak the rice for at least 30 m to give it a softer texture.
Add the rice to the pan.
Either use your hand or gently shake the pan to make sure the rice level is even.
Start by adding the same volume of water/liquid. Then place your middle finger on top of the rice and continue adding water until it just reaches just to the first knuckle of your middle finger.
Bring the water to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. You want to see bubbles gently forming around the edges of the pot.
Cover, turn the heat down to low, and let the rice simmer for about 20-22 m, until all the water is absorbed and the grains are soft.
Turn the heat off. Leave the pot on the burner and let the rice sit, covered, for another 10 m.
Fluff and serve.

Or combine the rice with Japanese mushroom recipes like salted mushrooms an/or shimeji.

Stoomtijden groenten

approximate steaming times

• Artichokes Steam whole artichokes 25-40 m Season with extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest
• Asparagus Whole spears, thick spears peeled lightly 7-13 m Serve with quince jam, cranberry jam, olive oil combined with lemon zest, or olive oil combined with sesame seeds
• Asparagus Cut into 2-inch pieces 4-7 m Season with olive oil combined with lemon zest or sesame seeds
• Green beans, Whole beans 6-10 m Season with garlic
• Wax beans, wax Whole beans 6-10 m Season with garlic
• Beet, small or medium-sized Whole, unpeeled beets scrubbed clean; peel off the skins after steaming 35-50 m Season with fresh thyme
• Beet greens Cleaned and coarsely chopped 7-9 m Drizzle with olive oil
• Broccoli Trimmed stalks 8-12 m Season with olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
• Broccoli Trimmed stalks split in half or florets 5-7 m Extra-virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, lime juice, or balsamic vinegar
• Brussels sprouts Whole, trimmed 8-15 m Season with fresh thyme
• Brussels sprouts Trimmed and halved 6-8 m Season with fresh thyme
• Cabbage Cut in wedges 6-10 m Lemon or lime juice
• Carrots Cut into 0.5 cm thick slices 7-10 m Season with honey combined with cinnamon or ginger
• Carrots, baby Whole baby carrots 10-12 m Season with honey combined with cinnamon or ginger
• Cauliflower Florets 5-10 m Lemon or lime juice
• Celeriac Cut into 0.5 cm thick matchsticks 5-7 m
• Celery stalks Cut into 1,2 cm thick slices 4-9 m Season with seeds
• Corn on the cob Whole, husks removed 7-10 m Homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• Daikon radishes Peeled and cut into chunks 8-12 m Season with fresh herbs
• Endives Cut in half lengthwise 5-10 m Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice
• Fennel bulbs Cut crosswise into 1,2 cm slices 8-10 m Season with olive oil and basil (or lemon)
• Jerusalem artichokes Peeled or scrubbed; sliced 5-8 m Serve with arugula or fresh herbs such as chives or parsley
• Jerusalem artichokes Whole tubers, peeled or scrubbed 20-25 m Serve with arugula or fresh herbs such as chives or parsley
• Kale Trimmed 4-7 m Drizzle with olive oil and crushed garlic
• Kohlrabi Peeled and cut into 1,2 cm cubes 5-8 m Toss with parsley and olive oil
• Leeks Trimmed, cut in half 5-8 m Season with your favorite vinaigrette
• Okra Fresh whole okra, trimmed 6-8 m Season with lemon/lime juice and parsley, or with sauteed scallions
• Onions, pearl Whole onions, peeled 8-12 m
• Parsnips Peeled and cut into 1,2 cm slices 7-10 m Season with fresh herbs such as oregano or parsley
• Peas, green Fresh, shelled peas 2-4 m Season with fresh herbs (such as mt) or lemon juice
• Peas, sugar snap Whole pea pods, trimmed 5-6 m Season with fresh herbs (such as mt) or lemon juice
• Potatoes, all Peeled or scrubbed clean, cut into 1,2 cm slices 8-12 m Toss with fresh parsley, rosemary or dill
• Potatoes, new Whole, scrubbed clean 15-20 m Toss with fresh parsley, rosemary or dill, or with chopped red onions
• Radishes Whole radishes, trimmed 7-14 m Season with chopped scallions or chives
• Scallions Cut into ½-inch slices 3-5 m
• Spinach Cleaned, whole leaves 3-5 m Season with olive oil and garlic, or sesame seeds
• Squash, butternut Peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 7-10 m Season with honey, lemon juice, and rosemary
• Turnips Cut into 1/2-inch cubes 8-12 m Season with olive oil and fresh herbs
• Turnip greens Cleaned and coarsely chopped 4-6 m Season with olive oil and garlic
• Sweet potatoes Cut into large chunks 8-12 m Season with honey and lemon juice
• Swiss chard Coarsely chopped leaves 3-5 m Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, olive oil and pepper
• Zucchini Cut into 2.5 cm slices 5-8 m Season with olive oil, lemon/lime juice, and fresh herbs (such as thyme or rosemary)