Chicken Stew with Couscous- North African

This couscous stew is from North Africa. Couscous can be purchased just about everywhere now in prepackaged mixes. I used a pinenut mixture for this recipes.

8 servings

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 1/2 to 3 pound chicken, cut-up
4 small carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, sliced
2 medium turnips, cut into fourths
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup water
3 zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cans (about 16 ounces) garbanzo beans, chickpeas , drained
Couscous

Heat oil in Dutch oven until hot. Cook chicken in oil until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Drain fat from Dutch oven. Add carrots, onions, turnips, garlic, coriander, slat, bouillon, red pepper and turmeric. Pour water over vegetables. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add zucchini to chicken mixture. Cover and cook until thickest pieces of chicken are done and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; heat 5 minutes.

Prepare Couscous. Mount on center of heated platter; arrange chicken and vegetables around Couscous.

Couscous

1 1/3 cup couscous (wheat grain semolina)
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Mix couscous , raisins and salt in 2 quart bowl; stir in boiling water. Let stand until all water is absorbed; 2 to 3 minutes. Heat margarine in 10 inch skillet until melted; stir in couscous and ground turmeric. Cook and stir 4 minutes.