Moroccan Vegetable Couscous With Lamb Shanks - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked and peeled (or you can use 2 cups canned)
4 cups couscous
4 lamb shanks
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons canola oil
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 pinch saffron
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks
3 onions, quartered
fresh cilantro stem, and
parsley sprig, tied together
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
1 lb carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb small turnip, quartered
1 quinces, peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 lb zucchini, quartered
1 fresh hot chili pepper
1 cup raisins
aged clarified butter (Smen-see Recipe #232878) or butter

Preparation

In a saucepan cover chickpeas with water and cook, covered, until tender.
Drain, cool and remove skins.
In bottom of a Couscoussier (or double stock pot w/steamer), preheat 5 tablespoons of butter and oil over medium heat until hot.
Add lamb, salt, spices, onions, herb sprigs and tomatoes; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Add 3 quarts water and chickpeas; cover and simmer over low heat, 1 1/2 hours.
Cut meat into chunks, discarding bones.
Add carrots, turnips and quince to lamb broth and simmer 30 minutes.
In a separate saucepan cover squash with broth from lamb stew and simmer until tender.
To lamb broth add zucchini, chili pepper, and raisins.
Top with colander containing couscous, cover and steam 20 minutes.
Dot couscous with remaining butter during last 5 minutes of steaming.
To serve, spoon couscous onto serving dish and toss with Ghee*, Smen** or butter.
Spread out to form a large well in center.
With a slotted spoon transfer meat and vegetables into well.
Add drained squash.
Strain broth, adjust seasoning to taste and moisten couscous and vegetables with broth.