By Marisa Furtado – Madame Aubergine Food Lab – for Special Moments

In this pandemic moment, the kitchen can help us and a lot to combat some aspects of the isolation routine, such as the fact that we are overwhelmed by new tasks and that feeling of sameness every day. So I thought that my recipe would have to have essentially three components: being healthy, practicality and a dream! I remembered a wildcard that I like a lot, that cheers up any day, that looks elegant on any occasion, that can be served warm in winter or at room temperature, in other seasons. And, on top of that, it has a super fun spice, which gives a lot of conversation: the aphrodisiac touch.

By itself, in its origin, couscous already has a very pleasurable ritual, since in many countries in the east the meal is made directly by hand to the mouth, with the right to lick from time to time. Here there is already a good baguncinha guaranteed for children too. On the adult side, there is no scientific evidence of an effective increase in libido from a meal, but it is the properties of the ingredients, the look and the atmosphere that complement a good climate in special moments! In this recipe, we bring together some of the “myth” ingredients, considered of aphrodisiac appeal: chickpeas, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, olive oil, dried fruits, pecan nuts … finally: an arsenal to feed body, soul and the imaginary of each one.

Ingredients:
2 cups Moroccan couscous
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 cup of pre-cooked chickpeas
½ small eggplant cut into cubes (from the edges with the peel)
12 grains of cardamom
2 cups of vegetable stock or water if you don’t have
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
12 cloves of India
1 cup orange juice

2 dessert spoons of white raisins
2 dessert spoons of black raisins
8 apricots cut into pieces
Salt to taste
½ cup pecan nuts in larger pieces
2 tablespoons chopped mint
4 mint leaves for garnish
Olive oil to taste

Preparation mode:
Bring the broth to heat over low heat and add the turmeric.
In a glass, place the raisins, apricot, cloves and cinnamon to hydrate in orange juice. Reserve.
Heat a frying pan, add the oil and garlic. When it starts to heat, add the cardamom, the eggplant and the chickpeas.
Stir and salt to taste.
In the same pan, add the hydrated fruits with the orange juice and let it reduce until it thickens a little.
Remove the blackheads and set aside.
Hydrate the couscous little by little with the warm vegetable broth.
Cover and let stand for 3 minutes.
Open and release the beans slowly.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently.
Add the pecan nuts.
Plate and sprinkle the fresh mint on top.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a mint bouquet.
Serve immediately.

Special service mode in confinement times:
Create a more rustic atmosphere by imitating the desert Bedouins.
A rug on the floor, candles, pillows and little light.
Serve in a single dish in the center and eat by hand.
There are many different flavors to enjoy without haste and a hot mint tea.