Ingredients
- 375 g (13 oz/2 cups) couscous
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 20 g (¾ oz) butter
- 4 lamb shanks, french-trimmed (ask your butcher to do this for you)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) chicken stock
- zest of ½ lemon, cut into 3 × 5 cm (1¼ × 2 inch) strips
- 1 large handful coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
- 165 g (5¾ oz/1 cup) Turkish dried figs, halved
- 2 long, thin eggplants (aubergines), chopped into 1.5 cm (⅝ inch) pieces
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 30 g (1 oz) butter, extra, chopped
Method
1. Put the couscous in a large shallow bowl and cover with water. Stir, then pour off the water immediately into a strainer. Return the couscous to the bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to swell. Separate the grains with your fingers.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until lightly browned all over, then remove from the saucepan and set aside. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika and cinnamon stick and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the chicken stock, lemon zest, lamb shanks and half the coriander and season well. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, turning the lamb occasionally.
3. To steam the couscous over the lamb tagine, make sure the edges are sealed by placing a long strip of foil around the rim of the saucepan. Put the couscous in a strainer that is double-lined with muslin (cheesecloth). Sit the strainer on top of the saucepan and press down firmly. Cover with a tea towel (dish towel) and steam for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the strainer from the saucepan, add the figs, eggplant and honey and stir to combine. Replace the strainer, then add the extra butter, ¼ teaspoon of salt and 4 tablespoons of water to the couscous. Fluff with a fork to combine and break up the grains, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Skim off any excess fat. Spoon the couscous onto serving plates, top with the lamb tagine, and garnish with the remaining coriander.
