seffa Medfouna Recipe or Vermecelli with beef

Seffa Medfouna is a famous moroccan dish. I like it either with chicken or beef.

Ingrédients for 6 persons:

for preparing Seffa:
1 kg dry broken vermicelli
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt

For cooking the saffron chicken or meat:
A whole chicken cut to pieces or 1 kg cubed beef meat
2 large sweet onions chopped medium
1 teaspoon white pepper + 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sticks of cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon of saffron
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup oil

For decorating the seffa:
dry dates and fruits with the choice

Method:

fill the base of a couscoussier with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add oil to dry vermecelli and salt and lightly oil the interior of the steamer. Put the broken vermecelii into the steamer and place it on the top of the base of the couscousier.
Once you see steam rise from the vermecelli, allow the vermecelli to steam for 10 mn
Put then the vermecelli in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of water and rub it between your palms to break any balls.
Put the vermecelli back into the steamer and repeat the same thing.
You should steam the vermecelli 4 to 5 times.

Mix the chicken or beef cubed meet with onions, spices, butter and oil in a pot. Gently brown the meat over medium heat about 10 mn.
If you are preparing chicken don't add water, the chicken will braise in it's own juce. But if you are preparing meat then add enough water to just cover the meat.

Cook over a medium heat until the meat is tender.
Reduce the liquid to form a thick sauce.

Place 1/2 of steamed vermecelli into a large serving dish, arrange the chicken or meat in the center and cover with the sauce. Add the rest of the vermecelli and put the rest of the meat on the top.

Decorate with dry dates and fruits.

Enjoy

Touria