Chicken couscous

 

     A spicy dish with more than a hint of warming Middle-eastern spices.

Serve 4

• 15 ml butter
• 15 ml sunflower oil
• 4 chicken portions
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 ml ground cinnamon
• 1 ml ground ginger
• 1 ml ground turmeric
• 30 ml orange juice
• 10 ml clear honey
• Salt
• Fresh mint sprigs, to garnish

For the couscous

• 600 ml couscous
• 5 ml salt
• 10 ml sugar
• 30 ml sunflower oil
• 2 ml ground cinnamon
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 15 ml orange blossom water
• 30 ml sultanas
• 50 gr blanched almonds, chopped
• 45 ml pistachio nuts, chopped

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan and add the chicken portions, skin side down ; fry for 3-4 minutes, until the skin is golden, then turn over.

Add the onions, garlic, spices and a pinch of salt and pour over the orange juice mixed with 300 ml water ; cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cover the couscous and salt with 350 ml water ; stir once and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar, 15 ml of the oil, the cinnamon, nutmeg, orange blossom water and sultanas and mix well ; heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry the almonds until golden and stir into the couscous with the pistachio nuts.

Line a steamer with greaseproof paper and spoon in the couscous.
Place the steamer over the chicken and steam for 10 minutes, then remove and keep cover.
Stir the honey into the chicken liquid and boiled rapidly for 3-4 minutes.

Spoon the couscous on to a platter and top with the chicken, with a little sauce spooned over ; garnish with mint and serve with the remaining sauce.

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