Bidaoui Couscous

            Ingredients [8-10 people]

            1 packet of coucous (1 kg or 2lbs)
            1 kg 2 lbs) of meat(knuckle of veal or shoulder of mutton)
            1 medium sized Savoy cabbage
            1 kg (2lbs) of onions
            4 or 5 tomatoes
            500 gms(1lb) of red pumpkin
            250 gms (9ozs.) of aubergines
            500 gms (1lb) of carrots
            2 hot peppers (chillies)
            1 handfull chopped coriander
            150 gms (5ozs.) of butter for the stock.
            150 gms (5ozs.) of butter to pour over the couscous when cooked.
            1/2 teaspooful of saffron (preferably crushed flowers)
            1 soupspoon of pepper
            6 litres (11 pints) of watersalt to taste.

            Preparation

            put the pieces of meat cut into largish pieces, two sliced onions, the diced cabbage, butter, salt
            and pepper at the bottom of the couscous steamer. Pour in 6 liters of water, and bring to boil.
            Then put the upper half of the steamer, full of rolled couscous, over the boiling stock. Seal
            together the two parts of the steamer with a piece of cloth soaked in floour and water paste so
            that the steam can escap only through the top. Allow to cook for half and hour from the
            moment the couscous beguins to steam. Take the couscous off the heat and pou into the (
            alarge deep dish made of earthenware or wood for mixing bread and making dough), press
            light with a ladle to seperate the grains, allow to cool and sprinkle with water. Let the couscous
            air and then sprinkle with water again until the grains are swollen and soaked with water. Leave
            it to absorb all the water.In the meantime, about an hour before serving, place in the bottom
            part of the steamer(which is still boiling) the tomatoes, the aubergines(quartered but not
            peeled), the onions, carrot and turnip (all peeled and quartered), the hot peppers and the
            chopped (or crushed) coriander.Cook the pumpkin cut quarters seperately in alittle of the
            stock.Check the seasoning of the stock and, half an hour before serving, put the couscous
            back to steam, making sure to seal the two halves of the steamer as before. When the
            couscous beguins to steam, take it off the heat and turn out into the , add the 150 gms of
            melted butter, mix well, and pour on as much of the stock as the couscous can absorb, stiring
            all the time. Put on to a large round dish with the couscous heaped into a pyramid and the meat
            and vegetables placed in a scooped out hollow at the top of the cone. Serve at once, putting a
            bowl of the stock on one side for those who like their couscous more moist.