Steamed barley couscous (Belboula)

1. Drizzle the barley grits with the olive oil in a wide bowl and rub with your fingers so every grain is coated.

2. Dissolve the salt in a third of the water, pour it over the barley and leave for 15 minutes to absorb.

3. Break up the lumps and steam uncovered in a steamer basket over boiling water for 15 minutes.

4. Tip back into the bowl, sprinkle with another third of the water, rub apart and steam for another 15 minutes; repeat once more with the remaining water (barley needs more steaming than wheat).

5. Finally work in the butter and fluff with a fork.

6. Serve warm with a vegetable stew, grilled fish or a tagine.

Tip: Belboula is the old, wholesome couscous of rural Morocco, especially the Berber mountains, and it's fashionable again today. It has a nuttier, more rustic flavour and more fibre than wheat couscous. If you can't find barley grits, you can cook pearl barley as a side instead.