Seffa

Directions

1. 1
   Prepare couscous as described in An Easy Way of Preparing Quick-Cooking Couscous in the Oven on page 376, using the amounts of couscous, water, salt, and oil called for in the above list.
2. 2
   Before serving, break up any lumps very thoroughly, add sugar to taste, and, if you like, orange-blossom water, and work in the butter.
3. 3
   Mix in one of the garnishes that follow, leaving some aside to decorate the dish.
4. 4
   Serve in a round, shallow dish.
5. 5
   Shape into a cone.
6. 6
   Dust the pointed top with confectioners sugar and draw lines down the sides with cinnamon.
7. 7
   Decorate further with the bits of garnish that have been left aside.
8. 8
   Serve in soup bowls.
9. 9
   Accompany with bowls of sugar, cinnamon, and honey for people to help themselves if they want to, and with a jug of hot milk.
10. 10
    1/2 cup raisins soaked in water for 1520 minutes, then drained
11. 11
    1/2 pound dates and 1 cup chopped walnut halves (keep a few whole to decorate)
12. 12
    1 1/2 cups mixed chopped lightly toasted nuts, including pistachios, walnuts, and hazelnuts, and 1/2 cup black or golden raisins
13. 13
    Plenty of fresh grapes
14. 14
    The fresh pink seeds of 2 pomegranates
15. 15
    1 cup blanched almonds, lightly toasted or fried in a drop of oil till golden, and coarsely chopped
16. 16
    For a Tunisian version, make a syrup by boiling 3/4 cup water with 1 1/4 cups sugar and the juice of 1/2 lemon.
17. 17
    Pour half of it over the cooked grain and heat in the oven for 15 minutes.
18. 18
    Serve with the rest of the syrup poured over and a sprinkling of chopped pistachio nuts.