Sufra Dayma: Vegetable Couscous By Moushira Abdel-Malek Ingredients: 1 small onion (finely chopped) 2-3 cloves garlic (crushed) 1 small hot red chilli (finely chopped) 1 leek (thinly sliced with stems) 2 fennel bulbs (sliced) 2 zucchini (thickly sliced) 1 large red capsicum (chopped) 200 gms chickpeas (boiled and drained) 2 tbsp each: fresh thyme, chopped parsley leaves, snipped chives 1 tsp each : cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, pepper 1 1/2 cups stock (bouillons or home-made) Olive oil + butter Couscous: 1 cup instant couscous 3/4 cup hot stock 30 gms butter Place couscous in a bowl. Add butter. Pour in hot stock. Stir once to mix then cover and leave to absorb for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork to separate grains. Method: Heat oil and butter in pan. Add onion, garlic, chilli, leek and fennel. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until softened. Add zucchini, capsicum, chickpeas and spices. Stir to coat vegetables with spices. Add stock. Cover and simmer until tender. Fold in fresh herbs and serve over a bed of couscous.