Toasting the pearls with olive oil before adding the water helps to make couscous not sticky (and also intensifies the taste!). Adding 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the pot will help to make the pearls less sticky because the acidity of the lemon reduces the release of starch from the pearls. Cook with plenty of water and drain using a colander. If you’re going to add it to salads you can also rinse it with water. If you rinse it, some of the starchy flavor will be lost but the flavors of the salad will make up for that loss. Mix it with a tablespoon of olive oil. Olive oil coats the surface of the pearls and prevents them from sticking together.