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Moghrabieh
Pearl couscous with chicken and chickpeas
Moghrabieh: Lebanese pearl couscous stewed with chicken, baby onions and chickpeas in caraway broth
LebaneseDespite its name, which nods to North Africa, moghrabieh is thoroughly Lebanese: big, chewy pearls of hand-rolled semolina cooked with chicken, baby onions and chickpeas in a broth scented with caraway and cinnamon. Families in Beirut and the mountains make it for Sunday lunch and especially on Christmas Eve in some villages. The pearls are served in a mound with the chicken and onions on top and a jug of broth to moisten each plate. Common mistake: boiling the pearls in the broth from the start; they turn gluey, so parboil them in water first. Chef's tip: toss the drained pearls in a little butter and caraway before mixing them with the onions — they stay separate and glossy.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone in, skin removed
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp salt
For the moghrabieh
- 14 oz baby onions or shallotspeeled
- 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas1 drained tin
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 tsp ground caraway
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks, 8 ¼ cups water, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves and 2 tsp salt in a large pot, bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 40 minutes until the meat is tender and reads 165°F at the bone. Lift out the chicken and keep the broth.
45 minStep 2: Meanwhile, boil 14 oz moghrabieh (giant pearl couscous) in plenty of salted water for 10 minutes until nearly tender, then drain.
10 minStep 3: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a wide pan over a medium heat and brown 14 oz baby onions or shallots for 10 minutes, shaking the pan, until golden all over.
10 minStep 4: Add 500 ml of the broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the onions are soft. Add 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas and the chicken pieces and heat through.
10 minStep 5: In a large pan, melt the rest of ⅔ oz butter, add the drained pearls, 2 tsp ground caraway, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and ½ tsp black pepper and toss for 2 minutes. Add 400 ml of broth and simmer for 5–8 minutes until the pearls are tender but still bouncy and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
8 minStep 6: Pile the pearls on a platter, top with the chicken, onions and chickpeas, and serve with a jug of hot broth seasoned with a pinch more caraway.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 610 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moghrabieh take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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