My mother-in-law's moghrabieh is what my family gathers around

It took a while for Karima Hazim to warm to her mother-in-law's Beirut version of moghrabieh. But once she tried it, she couldn't stop.

Teta Houdas' moghrabieh recipe is a favourite in Karima Hazim's household. Source: Karima Hazim

The moghrabieh from Tripoli that I grew up eating at home was dry, packed full of spices, vegetarian and most importantly, cooked with plenty of samneh (clarified butter).

A firm favourite during the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, this side dish goes well with kibbeh nayyeh, fatteh, fattoush and other main meals for iftar (the evening meal to break the fast). It's also a great leftover. The next day, we stuff it into Lebanese bread with pickles and tarator, and wrap it tightly into a laffa (flatbread). That's just how I liked it growing up.

Moghrabieh is a large, pearl-like couscous that is traditionally made from semolina. Moghrabieh is both the name of the couscous and the name of the dish. The pearls are boiled, like pasta, and used in a variety of dishes all over the Middle East to add texture to anything from a stew to a salad. The nuttiness of the samneh and sweetness of the cinnamon make this a dish that people love to mark the start of Ramadan.

When I got married, moghrabieh was one of the first dishes served for iftar at my in-laws' place. Naturally, I anticipated the dry onion, chickpea and semolina pearls of my childhood. However, instead, a large orange pot sat on the table and the cosy aromas of chicken, cinnamon and caraway floated through the dining room.

What was this? And where was the moghrabieh? My mother-in-law, Teta Houda, lifted the pot's lid and I was taken aback. The pot was filled to the brim with semolina pearls and chickpeas soaked in chicken broth. Onions and spice-speckled chicken pieces sat on top. This was the traditional Beiruti method of preparing moghrabieh and how Teta grew up eating it. It was served as a main meal with a side of ice-cold yoghurt and tabbouleh (using parsley from her garden).

Karima Hazim loves her mother-in-law's Beiruti moghrabieh recipe. Source: Karima Hazim

Teta stressed the nutritional importance of preparing foods cooked in broth, especially during Ramadan. She also lauded tabbouleh, which is rich in vitamin C. The nutty aroma of samneh was replaced with the sweet fragrance of caraway and cinnamon.

Did I try it? No. I am guilty of doing that sometimes; I refrain from trying new things, especially when I'm attached to the version I know. For almost five years of Ramadan and Sunday lunch at my in-laws, I got away with no one noticing that I did not eat Beiruti moghrabieh.

I regret not making it sooner, and I am full of remorse that I didn't try it at her house during all the iftars I had the opportunity to.

However, my daughters, Layla and Eden, fell madly in love with Teta's moghrabiyeh. Craving the comfort of the tender chicken mixed with the softly soaked couscous pearls, they usually have three full bowls two hours apart when visiting her.

Karima Hazim's family eat plenty of greens with their moghrabieh. Source: Karima Hazim

Last Ramadan, I decided it was time I attempted the Beiruti moghrabieh at home. I used the recipe my mother-in-law had shared with me a few years ago.

I regret not making it sooner, and I am full of remorse that I didn't try it at her house during all the iftars I had the opportunity to.

The addition of the chicken makes this dish hearty and satisfying, and the cooking of the pearls in the broth is nourishing. The caraway is an unexpected flavour. It's an ingredient often used in Lebanese sweets. It subtly complements the baharat and its aroma lingers in the kitchen.

I added samneh to the dish since I couldn't let go of the nutty, buttery flavour of the moghrabieh that I grew up eating. I finished it with Lebanese pine nuts. Then, my family called Teta and told her how much we loved eating her dish, and how we are looking forward to the first iftar of Ramadan to have it together again. 

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Teta Houda's moghrabieh from Beirut

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 whole free-range chicken (1 kg)
• 2 cups dried moghrabieh
• ½ cup dried chickpeas or 1 tin of chickpeas
• Pinch of bicarb soda
• 1 medium-sized brown onion, quartered
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp caraway
• 1 tsp seven-spice baharat
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Chicken broth

• 2 small brown onions, peeled and kept whole
• 1 piece cinnamon bark
• 3 dried bay leaves
• ½ tsp whole black pepper
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ghee (samneh) 

Garnish

• 2 tbsp ghee
• ½ cup pine nuts or slithered almonds

Method

1. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Rub with salt and seven-spice baharat and set aside. Fill a kettle with water and bring to the boil.
3. Place a non-stick stockpot on high heat and add the ghee, chicken and onions.
4. Sear the chicken skin until a golden-brown crust forms. Turn the chicken gently on all sides, before adding enough water to cover the chicken and the broth aromats. Bring to the boil and then simmer on low heat for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, skimming foam from the top.
5. Remove the chicken from the broth and set it aside to cool. Once cool, pull the flesh from the bones. 
6. Place a casserole-style pot on high heat and add the ghee and onion pieces. Toss until lightly golden.
7. Add the dry moghrabieh and 4 cups of strained chicken broth. Bring to the boil then simmer on low until the moghrabieh have expanded and are cooked through. 
8. Add the chickpeas, chicken pieces, baharat, cinnamon, caraway, salt and pepper. Gently fold.
9. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
10. In a small fry pan, add the ghee and pine nuts and cook until golden, remove from heat and drizzle over the moghrabieh.
11. Serve with ice-cold yoghurt or tabbouleh.

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Mum's moghrabieh from Tripoli

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry moghrabieh
• ½ cup dry chickpeas (or 1 can of chickpeas)
• 1 medium-sized brown onion quartered
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp 7-spice baharat
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper 

Method

1. Place a medium-sized pot on high heat and bring 6 cups of water to the boil. Add the moghrabieh and boil for 30 minutes until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized fry pan or wok, melt the ghee and add the onion.
3. Once the onion is slightly browned, add the moghrabieh, chickpeas and spices, and toss to combine.
4. Serve with fresh Lebanese bread as a side dish, or roll it into a wrap with Lebanese pickles and turnips.

Notes

• Chickpeas need to be soaked overnight, then rinsed well and added to a pot with a pinch of bicarb soda and boiled for 30 minutes. Skim the foam from the top until they are cooked through but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
  
  
• During Ramadan, you can buy ready-made moghrabieh couscous and chickpeas in small containers from the fridges of most Lebanese grocers.