Vegetable Couscous · Berber Origin
Couscous bil Khudra
Photo: HGGI 777 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Couscous itself is widely credited as an Amazigh (Berber) invention predating the Arab arrival in North Africa, and couscous-making was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2020.
Fine semolina grains are steamed in layers over simmering seasonal vegetables and lamb or camel, spiced with bzaar, turmeric and chili, then served heaped high with the vegetables and broth spooned over the top.
Why it's made this way: As one of the oldest Amazigh strongholds in Libya, Ghadames keeps a vegetable-forward style of couscous closer to its Berber roots than the more meat-heavy coastal versions.
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