Tunisian Chicken Couscous

In a little olive oil fry the sliced onion and chopped garlic for 2 minutes until slightly softened. Add tomatoe puree, spices and harissa and coat the onions in the spicey mixture and add the chicken pieces and stir to cover chicken and cook for a further two minutes beiung careful not too burn the spice mixture. Add a little water if neccessary and mix again.

Add the passata, chicken stock cube, potato and more water and mix well again.

Place the dried couscous into a large bowl and sprinkle with a tablespoon of water and work through the couscous - this is absored easily. You are making sure you seperate the couscous grains. Then do the same with a dessetspoon of good olive oil - making sure you work it through the couscous with your fingers, seperating the grains and getting rid of any clumps. You can do this with a fork if you wish. Place the grains into the colander or steamer section that sits on top of the cooking saucapan tightly.

Add the rest of the water to the stew so all the ingreditants are well covered - it will look very wet but trust me. Add the drained chickpea and peas (carrot if you fancy it) and optional whole green chillies, and give the pan a good stir so its all evenly distributed throughout the pan. and allow to simmer.

Clamp the colander/steamer with the couscous on top of the saucepan so the couscous steams as the stew cooks. Making sure the heat isnt too high.

After 15 minutes lift the steamer off and stir the stew making sure nothing is caught on the bottom of the pan - add more water if neccessary. Fork through the couscous grains so its not clumping and place back on the stove for a further 30 mins. You can repeat as above checking when the chicken is ready. Once the meats cooked through turn off the heat and remove the couscous emptying into a very large bowl. Fluff through with a fork. Then rest the now empty colander on top of the couscous and drain the lovely tomato rich stews cooking liquid all over the steamed couscous until the couscous is covered. Place the now drained chicken and veg back over the saucepan and using a metal spoon fold the couscous into the cooking liquid and then leave to stand for 5 minutes at which point all the cooking liquid will have been absorbed. If its looking a little dry add some more of the liquid and stir it through. The couscous' consistancy shouldnt be sloppy or wet but moist and fluffy. To Serve place couscous in a large serving dish and smooth down and then add the chicken and vegetables on top.