Seffa Medfouna - African Food Network

Ingredients

• 2.2 lbs dry broken vermicelli, angel hair pasta or couscous
• 3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil - (for steaming)
• 2 tsp salt - (for steaming)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, - room temperature (for sweetening after final steaming)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, - or to taste (for sweetening after final steaming)
• 1 cup raisins, - soaked in water for 20 minutes
• 1 tbsp butter - (optional; for caramelizing)
• 1 tbsp sugar - or honey (optional; for caramelizing)
• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces and skin removed - (or 2 lbs. cubed lamb or beef)
• 2 large sweet onions, - chopped medium
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, - or to taste
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 small pieces (2 to 3") of cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp saffron threads, - crumbled
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 cup almonds - (blanched, fried and ground)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• caramelized raisins - (optional, if you didn't steam the raisins with the couscous or vermicelli)