2/3 c  Dried chickpeas

      3 tb Olive oil

      2 lb Lean, boneless lamb shoulder

    1/2 c  Chopped white onions

      5 c  Boiling water

      3 tb Fresh lemon juice

    1/2 c  Ripe tomatoes

    1/2 ts Cinnamon

    1/4 ts Freshly grated nutmeg

      1    Bay leaf

      2 ts Crushed dried mint

      1 ts (scant) salt (or to taste)

    1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper

      4    Medium-sized carrots

      3 sm Turnips

      2 c  Couscous

      3 sm Zucchini

      2    Italian sweet peppers

  1.  Soak the chickpeas overnight in four times their volume of water in a

  noncorrisble bowl.
  2.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 5- to 7-quart pot.

  3.  Cut the lamb into 1-inch cubes.  Brown them (in batches, if necessary)

  on all sides over moderate heat.  Transfer the meat to a warm platter.
  4.  Reduce the temperature to low and saute the onions for 2 minutes,

  stirring frequently.
  5.  Add the lamb, boiling water, lemon juice, tomatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg,

  bay leaf, mint, salt, and pepper.  Stir, cover, and simmer the mixture vfor
  20 minutes.

  6.  Drain the chickpeas and stir them into the lamb mixture. Simmer the

  ingredients, covered, for 45 minutes.
  7.  Begin this step 5 minutes before step 6 is completed. Peel the carrots

  and turnips.  Cut the carrots into 3/4-inch long segments and the turnips
  into 3/4-inch cubes.  When step 6 is completed, stir these ingredients into
  the pot containing the lamb.  Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
  8.  Begin this step as soon as the carrots and turnips start simmering in

  step 7.  Put the couscous pellets in a 2- to 3-quart pan.  Pour cold tap
  water into the pan until it reaches a depth of 1 inch above the pellets.
  Soak the pellets for 10 minutes.
  9.  Pour the couscous into a sieve, discarding the water. Return the

  couscous to its soaking pan.  Slowly strain two cups of the broth from the
  large pot into the couscous.  Bring this mixture to a simmer. Cover, and
  cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
  10.  Slice the zucchini into 3-inch cuves and the peppers into 1/4

  inch-thick rings.  When step 7 is completed, stir in both ingredients and
  simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes.
  11.  It should be time to turn off the heat under the simmering couscous

  pellets as soon as the zucchini-and-pepper mixture starts simmering in step
  10.  Fluff the pellets, cover the pan, and let it stand for 8 minutes. Then

  pour off any remaining liquid.
  12.  Mound the couscous pellets in the center of a warm, large serving

  platter.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and vegetables from the
  pot and neatly arrange them around the mound.
  Serves 6 to 8.
  From:  GREAT PEASANT DISHES OF THE WORLD by Howard Hillman ISBN
  0-395-32210-3.  Houghton Mifflin, Boston.  1983 Posted by: Karin Brewer,

  Cooking Echo, 7/92