Seffa, sweet cinnamon couscous

📝 Ingredients

• 200 g medium-grain couscous
• 200 ml cold water (100 ml before the first steaming, 100 ml before the second)
• 1 tsp sunflower oil + 1 pinch of salt
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 60 g raisins
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water + 100 ml hot water (for the raisins)
• 30 g caster sugar (15 g in the couscous, 15 g for decoration)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 600 ml semi-skimmed milk (1 glass of 150 ml per person)

🍴 Utensils

• Couscous steamer (or a fine sieve set over a saucepan)
• Large mixing bowl
• Clean tea towel
• Fork
• Bowl
• Serving platter

📖 Steps

1. Put the raisins in the bowl with the hot water and orange blossom water. Leave them to plump up while you prepare the couscous, at least 15 minutes: they become juicy and fragrant.
2. Tip the couscous into the large mixing bowl, add the oil and salt, then rub the grains between your palms to coat them well. Sprinkle over 100 ml cold water and rub for 1 more minute to separate the grains. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Fill the bottom of the couscous steamer a third full with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Tip the couscous into the steamer basket without packing it down; if steam escapes between the two tiers, seal the join with the rolled-up damp tea towel. As soon as steam comes through the surface, steam uncovered for 10 minutes.
4. Tip the couscous back into the bowl: careful, it's scalding hot. Fluff it with a fork to break up any lumps, sprinkle over the remaining 100 ml water and mix. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then separate the grains again.
5. Put the couscous back in the basket, lay the drained raisins on top and steam a second time for 10 minutes from when the steam comes through the surface. The grains should be tender and well swollen, with no hard centre.
6. Set the raisins aside in the bowl, then tip the couscous into the mixing bowl with the butter cut into small cubes and 15 g sugar. Mix with a fork, then with your fingertips once it has cooled a little, until every grain is glossy and separate.
7. Pile the couscous into a dome on the serving dish, pressing it lightly with the back of a spoon. Scatter the raisins over the top, then draw alternating stripes of cinnamon and the rest of the sugar from the top down to the base.
8. Serve the seffa warm, letting everyone help themselves with a spoon, with a glass of cold or hot milk alongside: in Morocco, people alternate a mouthful of sweet couscous with a sip of milk.