Altered ingredient amounts. I married a Moroccan who makes THE best couscous (even his sisters ask him to make couscous because his is so good). I recommend the follow changes: Omit the cinnamon, tumeric and curry powder. Replace with ground ginger, paprika, a pinch or two of Ras el Hanout [Moroccan spice blend] or Garam Masala will work too, salt, and pepper to taste. Be generous with the spices; liberally sprinkle spices over the vegetables instead of measuring. The greastest thing about making couscous is that the ingredients can easily be subtituted! Add queen table squash or pumpkin. Cabbage and garlic should definitely be on your addition list! For a more flavorful couscous - cook it the authentic way. Measure couscous into a ceramic bowl and cover with hot water; then drain. Insert a tightly fitting steamer (resembles a colander) on top of the stock pot. Pour couscous and cover with a tight fitting lid. Remove couscous periodically (20-30 minutes) and place in a big bowl/platter and fluff the couscous - breaking up the chunky pieces. Salt and butter the couscous to taste and return to steamer pan. The steamed couscous tastes a lot better than boiled couscous. NOTE: Although saffron is a little expensive, it is a staple in Moroccan cooking. To save money - avoid buying saffron at your local chain grocery store as their spices are always costly. Try an ethnic market (Indo/Pak) and you will see a significant price difference.  -  29 Sep 2008

Used different ingredients. This is the closest recipe I've found to the couscous I ate in Paris at a little Moroccan restaurant. The only changes I made were to omit the sweet potatoes and to use diced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. I also cut the vegetables into big chunks, but that's only because of personal preferance. A great (and simple) recipe!  -  29 Sep 2008

This is a super recipe if you're looking for a filling, savoury dish that is low in fat and calories (I omitted the turnips...). I think I cut the sweet potato too thin and would suggest cutting this veggie a bit larger; it easily breaks down while cooking. Enjoy! It's a good one.  -  29 Sep 2008