Mom's Moughrabieh

Moughrabieh as a word means Moroccan. So it is not surprising that this festive meal, Mougrhabieh, is constructed along the same cooking principles of a Moroccan stew.

While Moroccan stews are eaten over couscous, this one is eating over a middle eastern version of couscous.

My father tells how his mother will roll pieces of bulgur in wheat and water and keeps on rolling for hours until those small round doughy pieces are formed.

Those become the base of Moughrabieh.

The stew poured over those is basically a chicken broth base with two key ingredients.

Lots of small onions boiled whole with the chicken (and perfectly peeled by mom).


The other key ingredient is caraway, sprinkled on both the couscous and in the sauce.

The broth is prepared by cooking the chicken and onions in water spiced up by a cinnamon stick and some peppercorns. 

As typical of many Moroccan stews, chickpeas are added to the broth.

It is time to serve the Moughrabieh.

A bottle of ixsir was opened (the Arabic word for Elixir) - the hottest winery in Lebanon these days and part of a new series of wineries opening up in the Batroun region versus the traditional Bekaa valley wineries.

A perfect accompaniment to Mougrhabieh (it is an excellent wine indeed), ixir was enjoyed as platters were assembled.

First, the middle eastern couscous. You top it with the chicken that gets sprinkled with salt, pepper and cinnamon after it is cooked in the broth.

You then pour the sauce over it and enjoy it with radishes.

It is a perfect meal, if cooked well. And mom sure makes the best Moughrabieh ever - fine taste, balanced flavours and everything cooked to perfection.



Can't wait to have the leftovers - thank you mom.