Moroccan · Main course
Barley Couscous (Couscous Belboula)
Belboula is couscous made from barley rather than durum wheat — nuttier, earthier and a little grey-gold, long favoured in the Amazigh countryside around Marrakech and the High Atlas. Steamed the same three-times way over a vegetable-and-meat broth, it is traditionally served drenched in fresh buttermilk (lben), a rustic, deeply satisfying dish.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 120 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 500 g barley couscous (belboula)
- 500 g lamb or beef, cut into pieces (optional)
- 2 onions, quartered
- 3 carrots and 2 turnips
- 1 wedge pumpkin and 1 courgette
- 1 handful cooked chickpeas
- 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ginger, pinch saffron, 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 tbsp olive oil and a knob of smen
- 1 bunch coriander and parsley, tied
- Salt, pepper, and buttermilk (lben) to serve
Method
- 1
Moisten the grain
Sprinkle the barley couscous with salted water and a little oil, rubbing between your hands to separate the grains. Rest 10 minutes. Barley couscous drinks more water than wheat, so expect to hydrate it a touch more.
- 2
Start the broth
In the base of a couscoussier, brown the meat with onions, spices, saffron, oil, smen and the herb bundle, then cover with water and simmer.
- 3
Steam three times
Steam the couscous uncovered over the broth 15 minutes, tip out, sprinkle with water, rake with a fork, and repeat twice more until the grains are tender and separate.
- 4
Cook the vegetables
Add the hard vegetables (carrot, turnip) to the broth first, then pumpkin and courgette, and the chickpeas near the end, so each is just tender.
- 5
Serve
Mound the barley couscous, arrange the vegetables and meat on top, moisten with broth, and serve with cold buttermilk poured over or on the side.
Chef's tips
- Barley couscous absorbs more liquid than wheat — be generous when moistening and re-steaming.
- The buttermilk (lben) finish is traditional and balances the earthy barley; don't skip it.
- Steam three times just like wheat couscous for light, separate grains.
Frequently asked questions
What does barley couscous taste like?
Nuttier, earthier and slightly more robust than wheat couscous, with a greyer-gold colour. It is prized in the Amazigh countryside and often considered more nourishing and rustic.
Why serve couscous with buttermilk?
Fresh buttermilk (lben) is the classic partner for barley couscous, especially in rural Morocco. Its cool tang cuts the earthiness of the barley and makes a simple, complete meal.