Moroccan · Main course
Eid Barley Couscous with Smen
A rustic celebration couscous made with nutty barley grain and enriched with fermented smen and butter, steamed light and served with a little broth and buttermilk on the side. In many Amazigh and rural homes this is the couscous of Eid and family gatherings, prized above wheat couscous for its earthy depth and heartiness.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 500 g barley couscous
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Warm water, for steaming
- 2 tsp smen
- 40 g butter
- 150 g cooked chickpeas
- Buttermilk (lben), to serve
Method
- 1
First moistening
Sprinkle the barley couscous with salted water and 2 tbsp oil and rub between your palms until the grains are separate.
- 2
First steam
Steam over simmering water for 20 minutes from when the steam rises through the grains.
- 3
Rest and re-steam
Turn out, break up clumps, sprinkle with warm water, rest 10 minutes, then steam a second time for 20 minutes until tender.
- 4
Enrich
Fork the smen, butter and remaining oil through the hot grain along with the warm chickpeas until glossy.
- 5
Serve
Mound onto a platter and serve with cold buttermilk to pour over or drink alongside.
Chef's tips
- Barley couscous is coarse and needs the double steam and rest to hydrate fully and fluff up.
- Smen is strong and salty — a couple of teaspoons is plenty to flavour the whole dish.
- Cold buttermilk poured over hot barley couscous is the classic, cooling rural way to eat it.
Frequently asked questions
What does smen taste like?
Smen is fermented, salted preserved butter with a pungent, cheesy, almost blue-cheese depth; a little transforms plain grain into something savoury and complex.
Can I use wheat couscous?
You can, but the earthy, nutty character of barley (belboula) is what makes this the prized rural feast couscous; wheat gives a lighter, less distinctive result.