Sweet couscous seffa

Sweet couscous seffa is a healthy, delicious dessert or breakfast. The couscous is mixed with dried fruits, yoghurt and orange blossom. Morrocan chef Hassan M’Souli from Sydney’s Out of Africa restaurant teaches us how to make this seffa.

Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) couscous
• 1 cup (250 ml) port
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ cup (125 ml) orange blossom water
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 300 g mixed dried fruit
• 2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup flaked almonds, roasted
• 1 cup yoghurt
• sprig of mint, to garnish

The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.

Instructions

Prepare couscous according to packet instructions. Combine port, water, caster sugar, orange blossom water and cinnamon quill in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half.

Remove saucepan from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, stir through the mixed dried fruit. Then set aside to cool completely.

Add the icing sugar to the couscous, along with ground cinnamon and half the almonds. Mix gently until combined.

To serve, place the warm couscous on a serving platter. Heap the fruit mixture on the top and drizzle remaining fruit sauce around the outside of the couscous on the plate. Top with the yoghurt and garnish with the remaining almonds and a sprig of mint. Serve as dessert.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Michelle Noerianto.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.