Cous cous - definition of Cous cous by The Free Dictionary Cous cous - definition of Cous cous by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Wikipedia . cous·cous (ko͞os′ko͞os′) n. 1. A pasta of North African origin made of semolina or other grains, formed into small pellets and usually steamed. 2. A North African dish consisting of this pasta served with stewed vegetables or meat. [French, from Arabic kuskus, from kaskasa, to pulverize; see kšš in the Appendix of Semitic roots.] couscous couscousou n 1. (Cookery) a type of semolina originating from North Africa, consisting of granules of crushed durum wheat 2. (Cookery) a spicy North African dish consisting of steamed semolina with meat, vegetables, or fruit C17: via French from Arabic kouskous, from kaskasa to pound until fine cous•cous 1. a North African dish of steamed semolina served usu. with a spicy stew. 2. the granular semolina used in this dish.

[1590–1600; < French < Arabic kuskus,kuskusū < Berber seksu] ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1. couscous - a spicy dish that originated in northern Africa; consists of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew dish - a particular item of prepared food; "she prepared a special dish for dinner" 2. couscous - a pasta made in northern Africa of crushed and steamed semolina alimentary paste , pasta - shaped and dried dough made from flour and water and sometimes egg Translations [ˈkuːskuːs] n (= grain) → couscous m (= dish) → couscous m couscous couscous [ˈkuːskuːs] n (Culin) → cuscus m inv Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: rice References in periodicals archive ?

Traditional cous cous is cooked in a metal pot called a "couscoussier", but if you don't have one if these to hand, the boiling water poured over the grain method will suffice. Quay cafe is quite a catch; Food: Service: Ambience: Overall: Bring 500ml of water to the boil and pour over the cous cous in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest. A matter of taste TASTE I; Springtime lamb is one of Wales' best dishes, but how do you make yours? Top Welsh chefs show you two ways to make it two ways Set aside Take beetroot and scatter ricotta and millet together Top with olive oil and balsamic to serve Chef's top tip: Millet is available at all good health stores, but you can always replace it in this recipe with cous cous. Chef dishes up a winner; Enda Mullen Business Staff enda.mullen@trinitymirror.com I selected the slow braised belly of Cornish lamb served with spiced cous cous and mint yoghurt dressing (PS9. couscous - definition and meaning couscous from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition n.

A pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed semolina. n. A North African dish consisting of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License n. A pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed semolina. from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English n. A kind of food used by the natives of Western Africa, made of millet flour with flesh, and leaves of the baobab; -- called also lalo. from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia n. A favorite west African dish, consisting of flour, flesh or fowls, oil, and the leaves of Adansonia digitata, or baobab. Also called by the natives lalo. n. The native name of a kind of phalanger, the spotted phalanger of the Moluccas. Also written coescoes. See Cuscus. from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. n. a spicy dish that originated in northern Africa; consists of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew n.

a pasta made in northern Africa of crushed and steamed semolina Etymologies from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition French, from Arabic kuskus, from kaskasa, to pulverize; see kšš in Semitic roots. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License First attested circa 16th century, from French, from Arabic كسكس (kuskus) from Tamazight ⵙⴽⵙⵓ (seksu). Examples The word couscous also refers to the feast meal itself, typically a platter of couscous served alongside a richly spiced stew of beef or lamb and vegetables. 12 North African Dishes You Need To Try - How Africa News 12 North African Dishes You Need To Try by Pinterest Google North African cuisine is the product of a whole host of historical, cultural and topographical factors. Ancient trade routes, links with Europe, and a waterless climate have all influenced tastes from Algeria and Morocco in the west to Egypt in the east. Famously, the cuisine of North Africa is packed full of colorful spice mixtures, as cities like Sfax in Tunisia are home to large spice markets.

Here are 12 dishes to expand your palate. (c) Tobias Abel/Flickr -Couscous Couscous Couscous is the staple food of North Africa, a traditional Berber dish (first mentioned in a 13th century cookbook) of steamed semolina that can be served as an accompaniment with tajine, with plates of vegetables, or eaten by itself. There are lots of regional variations on couscous — you can add harissa sauce; serve it with almonds, sugar and cinnamon for a dessert; or add lamb, chicken and meatballs with a touch of saffron to form couscous royale. (c) Kimberley Vardeman/Flickr – B’stilla B’stilla B’stilla, sometimes also known as pastilla, is a Moroccan dish. Its origins are said to be in Fez and date all the way back to the period of the Umayyad Caliphs in the eight century. B’stilla generally consists of a sweet and sour pigeon pie, but can also be made with chicken or quail.

Typically served as a starter on big occasions, the b’stilla is filled with the pigeon meat, onions and spices like saffron and coriander, before almonds and beaten eggs are added. It’s all wrapped up in thin warqa pastry that gets very crispy when cooked. (c) the foodhoe/Flickr – Tajine Tajine Tajine is perhaps the most famous Berber dish. It takes its name from the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The tajine has a conical top so that the juices and water aren’t lost during cooking — an important consideration in desert areas where there are so few water sources. The tajine dish is a slow-cooked stew and can be made up of all sorts of ingredients — chicken, lamb, beef, fish or vegetables, stewed with spices and dried fruit and served with couscous and breads. (c) Guilhem Velut/Flickr – Shakshouka Shakshouka Shakshouka, or chakchouka, is a Tunisian dish that has spread across North Africa and is popular in Israel, as well, having been taken there by Maghrebi Jews.

It can be served for breakfast, lunch or as part of the evening meal. It’s one of the most colorful of the dishes on this list and is made up of chopped onions, chili peppers, tomatoes and cumin, cooked in a skillet to form a rich sauce in which a couple of eggs are poached. Add some chopped parsley to the top. (c) Alpha/Flickr – Ful Medames Ful Medames Ful medames is the national dish of Egypt and a common street food in cities like Cairo and Giza. You’ll also find it served in much of North Africa and the Middle East. Ful medames is a dish of fava beans, cooked in a pot and then served with vegetable oil and cumin, garlic, onions, peppers and hard boiled eggs. There’s evidence that as early as the 4th century it was being offered on the streets of Cairo.

(c) Lenore Edman/Flickr – L’hamd Marakad L’hamd Marakad L’hamd marakad, the pickled lemon, is an essential ingredient in Moroccan cooking, served as part of tajine and couscous recipes, as one the main ingredients in salads and plates of vegetables or as a means of flavoring chicken dishes. It should be made using citron beldi, the traditional Moroccan lemons of the doqq or boussera varieties. The lemons are quartered and preserved in water, lemon juice and salt and left to ferment and soften for four to five weeks. After that, the rinds, in particular, are valued for their intense flavor. 12 North African Dishes You Need To Try 12 North African Dishes You Need To Try Matthew Keyte Updated: 8 December 2016 North African cuisine is the product of a whole host of historical, cultural and topographical factors. Ancient trade routes, links with Europe, and a waterless climate have all influenced tastes from Algeria and Morocco in the west to Egypt in the east.

Famously, the cuisine of North Africa is packed full of colorful spice mixtures, as cities like Sfax in Tunisia are home to large spice markets. Here are 12 dishes to expand your palate. (c) Tobias Abel/Flickr -Couscous Couscous Couscous is the staple food of North Africa, a traditional Berber dish (first mentioned in a 13th century cookbook) of steamed semolina that can be served as an accompaniment with tajine, with plates of vegetables, or eaten by itself. There are lots of regional variations on couscous — you can add harissa sauce; serve it with almonds, sugar and cinnamon for a dessert; or add lamb, chicken and meatballs with a touch of saffron to form couscous royale. (c) Kimberley Vardeman/Flickr – B’stilla B’stilla B’stilla, sometimes also known as pastilla, is a Moroccan dish. Its origins are said to be in Fez and date all the way back to the period of the Umayyad Caliphs in the eight century.

B’stilla generally consists of a sweet and sour pigeon pie, but can also be made with chicken or quail. Typically served as a starter on big occasions, the b’stilla is filled with the pigeon meat, onions and spices like saffron and coriander, before almonds and beaten eggs are added. It’s all wrapped up in thin warqa pastry that gets very crispy when cooked. (c) the foodhoe/Flickr – Tajine Tajine Tajine is perhaps the most famous Berber dish. It takes its name from the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The tajine has a conical top so that the juices and water aren’t lost during cooking — an important consideration in desert areas where there are so few water sources. The tajine dish is a slow-cooked stew and can be made up of all sorts of ingredients — chicken, lamb, beef, fish or vegetables, stewed with spices and dried fruit and served with couscous and breads.

(c) Guilhem Velut/Flickr – Shakshouka Shakshouka Shakshouka, or chakchouka, is a Tunisian dish that has spread across North Africa and is popular in Israel, as well, having been taken there by Maghrebi Jews. It can be served for breakfast, lunch or as part of the evening meal. It’s one of the most colorful of the dishes on this list and is made up of chopped onions, chili peppers, tomatoes and cumin, cooked in a skillet to form a rich sauce in which a couple of eggs are poached. Add some chopped parsley to the top. (c) Alpha/Flickr – Ful Medames Ful Medames Ful medames is the national dish of Egypt and a common street food in cities like Cairo and Giza. You’ll also find it served in much of North Africa and the Middle East. Ful medames is a dish of fava beans, cooked in a pot and then served with vegetable oil and cumin, garlic, onions, peppers and hard boiled eggs. There’s evidence that as early as the 4th century it was being offered on the streets of Cairo.

(c) Lenore Edman/Flickr – L’hamd Marakad L’hamd Marakad L’hamd marakad, the pickled lemon, is an essential ingredient in Moroccan cooking, served as part of tajine and couscous recipes, as one the main ingredients in salads and plates of vegetables or as a means of flavoring chicken dishes. It should be made using citron beldi, the traditional Moroccan lemons of the doqq or boussera varieties. The lemons are quartered and preserved in water, lemon juice and salt and left to ferment and soften for four to five weeks. After that, the rinds, in particular, are valued for their intense flavor. (c) Rui Orneras/Flickr – Harira M’hanncha M’hanncha is sometimes known as the ‘Moroccan snake’ or ‘snake cake.’ It’s a dessert made up of a whirl of coiled filo pastry — hence the name. The pastry is rolled out to form a long tube and filled with almond paste and flavored with orange flower water and pistachio; cinnamon is sprinkled onto the cooked filo.

You can find an instructional video on making m’hanncha here, and here is a recipe for Moroccan snake cake from Jamie Oliver. (c) The Boreka Dairy/Flickr – Matbucha Harira Harira is a soup served in Algeria and Morocco. It is always eaten during the Holy Month of Ramadan, when the fast is broken at sunset. Or it can be eaten throughout the year as a snack or appetizer. There’s no set method or recipe for making harira. It can be made with pieces of lamb, chicken or beef, though it’s normally mixed with lentils, chickpeas and tomatoes. Extra spices like ginger, cinnamon and turmeric are often added, with a dash of lemon juice. Harira is typically served with chebakia, a traditional Moroccan sesame cookie. (c) fugzu/Flickr – Mhadjeb Matbucha Matbucha is another North African dish that has spread to Israel and Syria. It’s normally served as an appetizer with bread and olives, and it consists of a thick dip made with tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic and chili pepper, cooked together until they form an oily paste ideal for dipping or serving on flatbreads.

The importance of tomatoes in matbucha means the dish can date back no further than the early 19th century, as tomatoes were introduced to North Africa and the Middle East at that time by the British Consul in Aleppo, John Barker. Mhadjeb Mhadjeb, or mahjouba, is a staple of Algerian cooking and a common street food in Algiers and Oran. You’ll sometimes find it in recipe books as Algerian crêpes. In essence, mhadjeb is a crêpe filled with a paste of tomatoes and chopped vegetables like carrots, onions and chilis which have been simmered. A street vendor will place a piece of flat dough on the skillet, add the paste, and fold the dough into a square to cook. You can watch a video of this being done in the Casbah in Algiers here. (c) Pascal Terjan/Flickr Mechoui Mechoui is the traditional North African roast — a whole lamb roasted on a spit or in a pit dug into the ground. The meat is served with flatbreads and dips and yogurt.

The meat from the head, such as the cheeks and eyes, and the offal is regarded as a delicacy and is handed out to guests in attendance at the meal. You can replicate the mechoui at home with just a shoulder of lamb roasted with spices like cumin, coriander and thyme. Mrouzia Mrouzia is the dish traditionally served during the Eid al-Adha festival in Morocco. The mrouzia is a very specific type of tajine, made with lamb slaughtered as part of the religious celebration — Eid al-Adha means ‘feast of the sacrifice.’ The lamb is cooked in a tajine along with the spice mixture ras el hanout, some honey, saffron, ginger, almonds and raisins. The combination of saffron and ras el hanout gives mrouzia its unique aroma. Couscous | Recipes Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Couscous and lamb Couscous, a small type of pasta , is made from crushed and steamed durum wheat . North Africans use couscous the same way many cultures use rice . It is popular in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.

In fact, each of this countries claim to be the birthplace of couscous. [1] In these countries, couscous is usually served with meat, especially chicken , mutton , lamb and vegetables. Beyond these similarities, variations exist as to how couscous is served. Moroccans prepare couscous dishes with saffron to create a yellow colored dish that may be topped with fish and a raisin - onion sauce or with meat and vegetables. Algerians incorporate tomatoes into their couscous, while Tunisians add in a harissa sauce. In other countries, couscous is often served with chicken or salmon dishes Couscous (called maftoul in Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories), is a food of the Maghreb. This dish, with a name derived from Maghreb Arabic kuskusu, which is from Tamazight seksu, is a food which consists of grains made from semolina which are about 1 mm or 1/ 16 th inch in diameter (after cooking). Couscous was traditionally made from the hard part of the hard wheat Triticum durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive millstone.

The name is also used for prepared dishes made from other grains, such as barley, millet, sorghum, rice, or maize. Production of Couscous Edit Couscous is made out of two parts semolina , one part flour , water and salt . Semolina is put on a plate and moistened with saltwater. The semolina water mixture is hand molded and flour is added. Then, small grains of couscous are separated. Once grains of the right size are produced, oil is added and the couscous is ready for steaming. Buying Couscous Most couscous sold in grocery stores has been pre-steamed, however, you can also find traditional couscous in stores. For variety, most grocery stores offer flavored versions of couscous. Couscous Variations Edit Israeli couscous, also known as maftoul or pearl couscous, is a larger version of couscous and used in slightly different ways. In Western cooking it is often used as a bed for or dishes, or put into salads. It has been compared with Middle Eastern Taboul or egg barley.

Israeli couscous is actually a version of North African Berkukes introduced by immigrants from various parts of North Africa in the early 50s and Levantine Maghrebiyya (from the Maghreb) common in Israel, Palestinian territories, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Couscous was meant to provide a rice substitute for those immigrants from eastern Arab countries and from Persia, where rice was the staple grain. Unlike North African couscous, Israeli couscous, (Maftoul) is not semolina at all, but rather a toasted grains of a mixture of bulgur and flour . Lebanese Couscous Lebanese couscous is made up of pea-sized "grains". Preparing Couscous Edit Couscoussière In order to correctly determine cooking time, you should check to see what kind of couscous you have purchased: instant or traditional. One cup dry couscous makes two and a half cups cooked couscous. If you are serving couscous as a side dish, plan on doling out half to three quarters of a cup of couscous to each person.

Cooking Couscous Edit Pearl couscous pasta salad with cashews and sultanas Normally for a conventional couscous recipe, you would use couscous from a brightly coloured cardboard box or a cellophane packet. This is has been pre-steamed and dried. The package directions usually instruct you to add a little boiling water to make it ready to eat. It is important not to boil and whisk the couscous so that you don't end up with a starchy mush. [2] This method can be done quickly and easily by placing the couscous in a bowl and pouring the boiling water or stock over the couscous (and possibly mixing in some butter or olive oil , then covering the bowl tightly. [2] The couscous swells and within a few minutes is ready to fluff with a fork and serve. Steaming and fluffing separates the couscous granules. [2] You can also use a heat-proof colander inside a stock pot, lining it with a cheese cloth if the holes are too big. You can also cook couscous like rice . First, you heat butter . Next you add rice and stir it in a pan to give it a good coating.

Add stock, bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to lowest setting cover and cook until all the stock is absorbed. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than dried pasta or rice. Nobody would contemplate making the couscous from scratch out of ground wheat flour. Yet, there are other of couscous kinds available, such as barley couscous and Israeli couscous. Traditional couscous requires a great deal of time as well as a special double boiler called a couscoussière (aka kiskis). Since couscous, like most pastas, is not very flavorful it is usually made with flavored stocks, herbs and spices and served with vegetables , nuts or meat. If you want to double or triple the amount of instant couscous you are making, steam it slowly instead of using the hot water method described on the package. [2] In addition to being served as a side dish, couscous can be eaten as a porridge , in salads , or even in desserts . Add almonds , cinnamon and sugar or fruit to serve couscous as a dessert. Add peas and beans to couscous to make a salad. Combine couscous with buttermilk to make cold soup.

Lebanese couscous should be cooked by soaking it in water for 30 to 45 minutes. Storing Couscous Couscous should be eaten within a few days. Uneaten couscous can be frozen for up to three months. Couscous Nutrition Couscous from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert | Cooked ‘. . . A mountain of couscous surrounded by a sea of sauce.’ - Paul Bowles Couscous The couscous concept is simple and it is brilliant. Take a container with a perforated bottom, fill it with a grain (in most cases, semolina that has been previously moistened, then dried out a bit), place the perforated container over a pot of boiling liquid and allow steam to rise up through the perforations, soften the grain and make it swell. After a certain amount of time, the steamed grain is dumped into a large shallow tray, tossed with a little cool water until evenly moistened and then left to dry before repeating the steaming. Depending upon the type of grain, its size, age and whether it was hand- or machine-made, it may have to be steamed a third time to achieve the desired light, tender fluffiness.

When the grain is properly cooked, it is tossed with butter or, in some parts of Morocco, with smen, argan oil or extra virgin olive oil. It is then doused with milk or with a sauce and garnished with vegetables, meat, poultry or fish. Couscous is the crowning achievement of Berber cooking. I consider it to be magical. The word couscous and its various phonetic sound-alikes in North African Berber dialects (seksu, keskesu, utsu and kouski in southern Tunisia) are probably a verbal approximation of the hissing sound as steam rises up through the perforations and into the grain. There are other theories, but the one fact that no one denies is that the dish itself is Berber. Though the word couscous is applied to various grains, it really is a description of the process by which these grains are steamed. Although the prevalent grain used is pellet pasta made from semolina flour, couscous can also be made with barley, barley sprouts, millet, green wheat, crushed acorns, corn (maize) and crushed breadcrumbs.

Today the dish can be as simple and pure as the Berber version of steamed barley coated in preserved butter and downed with a cup of buttermilk, or as elaborate and spectacular as the couscous preparations allegedly served in palaces: great pyramids of semolina concealing mounds of pigeons, each stuffed in turn with couscous and other mysterious things. In Morocco couscous is traditionally served for Friday lunch, when the whole family is home from work and school, or on special occasions such as weddings, births and circumcisions – or, of course, whenever anyone feels like eating it. It isn’t a dish you will find in a Moroccan restaurant catering to Moroccans, but you will inevitably find it featured on the menu of a restaurant catering to tourists. Couscous is surely, if unofficially, the national dish of Morocco. It’s also the central image in a famous Moroccan proverb about the virtues of alms-giving: ‘A handful of couscous [given in charity] is better than Mecca and all its dust.’ When I lived in Morocco, couscous was rarely served at the evening meal. Also – and many people don’t realise this – it was not considered a main course.

At a Moroccan banquet or diaffa, it was served at the end of a string of courses to finally and fully satiate the hunger of the guests. ‘No guest should go home hungry’ is the basis of Arab hospitality. And although this idea is often carried to the point of absurdity, when, after being offered course after course, the possibility of going home hungry is out of the question, still, satiation is symbolised by the appearance of a mound of couscous, highly flavoured, laden with vegetables and meats. Such a dish is served as a finale so that the guests will achieve shabaan (total satisfaction) and know that their host has held back nothing that could give them pleasure. Of course Moroccan restaurants that cater to tourists and European and American chefs who serve couscous are serving it as a main course and there is nothing wrong with them doing so, as long as they prepare it the proper way. That being the case in today’s world, all of the couscous recipes in this book can be served as a main course for lunch or dinner or, in the traditional way, as the final dish in a succession at a banquet.

Equipment for steaming couscous If you love couscous as much as I do, you will want to acquire a true couscousier. But you can steam couscous perfectly well in a colander (metal or, even better, stoneware) that fits snugly over a tall pot, and it is possible to buy special silicone strips for sealing the colander to the pot. You can also use the type of pasta pot that comes with its own shallow steam insert. Don’t worry about the size of your steamer. Since semolina couscous is best steamed uncovered, you can simply shape the couscous grains into a pyramid as they expand and it doesn’t matter if the peak of the pyramid is higher than the steamer itself. The steam will still move perfectly well right up through the pile of grain. The piece of equipment you do need is a substitute for the Moroccan gsaa, a large shallow basin of earthenware, wood or metal in which the couscous is worked and where it dries. I’ve found that a large pizza pan is ideal. I’ve also used rimmed baking trays and large flowerpot saucers.

I now steam my couscous grains over boiling water, rather than over the broth and vegetables. Some cookery writers will tell you that the steam from the broth will imbue the grain with flavour, but this is doubtful, since anything imparted by the broth is minimal and, in any event, the grain is saturated and flavoured when doused with broth just before serving. Also, it is much easier to monitor the preparation of broth and vegetables by cooking them in a separate pot. For one thing, you’ll avoid overcooking, and there’s also no need to take the steamer off the pot numerous times to check the progress of the vegetables. Finally, when you pour your broth over your grains just before serving, you will be truly flavouring the grain as opposed to perpetuating the illusion of flavouring it via ‘aromatic’ steam. Semolina couscous: instant or hand-rolled? Hand-rolled, sun-dried couscous imported from Morocco is sometimes available in Middle Eastern shops or from mail-order sources. This couscous is a true artisanal product made with high-quality durum wheat flour and is thus superior in taste and texture.

Or you can use so-called ‘instant couscous’, provided it is 100 per cent semolina. My preferred brands are Ferrero, Dari, Rivera, Tria and Tripiak, which come with instructions for the traditional steaming of the grain. The problem with most other ‘instant couscous’ is that the grain won’t properly expand, and the result will be mediocre at best. If you follow the directions on a 450g box of ordinary instant couscous, you will get about 1.1kg of couscous after 10 minutes of preparation. But if you instead moisten and steam ordinary instant couscous three times, for 10 to 20 minutes each time, you will end up with about 1.9kg. And if you use one of my preferred brands of instant couscous and steam it three times, you will get up to 2.3kg. As for hand-rolled, sun-dried couscous, 450g steamed four times will give you about 3.4kg! This isn’t magic. Hand-made couscous, unlike ‘instant couscous’, has not been pre-steamed.

Please note: In the Desserts chapter, I tell you how to make your own couscous out of semolina flour. It’s easy and a lot of fun, but really only necessary if you are making sweet couscous such as the luxurious Home-made Dessert Couscous; shop-bought fine couscous can be substituted. Home-made couscous is so special, so fine, so light and so fluffy, it will quickly become apparent that it’s well worth your effort. If you wish to use your own home-made couscous in the following recipes, by all means do so. Simply follow the directions below, and be sure to steam the grain three times. Handling and steaming semolina couscous The directions for steaming and handling semolina couscous, whether hand-rolled or instant, are the same except for the timing and the extra steaming required to cook the hand-rolled variety. Hand-rolled, sun-dried couscous requires three steamings of 20 minutes each and a final steaming of 10 minutes. The first three steamings can be done early in the day, with the final steaming just before serving.

Instant couscous (no matter what the directions on the box say) requires two steamings of 20 minutes each and then a final steaming of 10 minutes. As is the case with hand-rolled grains, the first two or three steamings can be done hours in advance. What follows are the master instructions for handling and steaming 450g of hand-rolled or instant semolina couscous. If preparing more than this, add up to 50 per cent more water when moistening the grain and add an extra 5 minutes to each steaming time. Though this may sound complicated, the principle is very simple: all the gradual moistening, careful raking and aerating, and multiple steamings of the semolina grain are done to maximise its swelling without allowing it to become lumpy or soggy. (If you do get lumps, simply wet your fingers with cold water and rub the lumps apart.) STEP 1: Fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a rapid boil. Be sure to leave room between the top of the boiling water and the bottom of the perforated steamer that will sit above it.

I also suggest tossing a coin into the pot.When it stops clicking, it will be a signal that it’s time to add more water. STEP 2: If using hand-rolled, sun-dried couscous, place the grains in a fine sieve and quickly moisten them under cold running water. Dump into a wide shallow pan, smooth out the grains and allow them to swell for about 5 minutes, then toss with 120ml water and allow to stand for another 5 minutes. If using instant couscous, place the grains in a large pan, cover them with 480ml water and allow to swell for about 1 minute, then stir and pour off the excess water. With wet hands, lift up the grains, rubbing them gently and letting them fall back into the pan two or three times. This process should break up any lumps that formed. Next, ‘rake’ the couscous with your fingers to circulate it and cause the grains to swell. An important thing to remember about couscous is that it increases in volume in the pan and not in the steamer where it cooks.

STEP 3: Line the inside of the perforated couscousier top or a colander with a piece of muslin. (Note: The muslin is not there to prevent the couscous from falling through the holes; the grains won’t fall if steam is rising. It is there to help you transfer the couscous grains back and forth from the steamer to the wide pan without having to unseal and reseal the steamer and the bottom pot.) Or, if you prefer, you can just oil the steaming container. Add the couscous. Set the container snugly on top of the pot of boiling water and check to see that no steam is escaping out the sides. If steam is escaping, place a long strip of foil, a dampened strip of kitchen cloth or a silicone strip around the pot top and tuck it between the steamer and pot. You want the steam to rise only through the perforated holes. Steam for 20 minutes. Unless instructed otherwise in the recipe, do not cover the couscous as it steams. STEP 4: Transfer the couscous back to the large shallow pan. Spread the grains out with a large wire whisk.

Gradually sprinkle about 240ml cold water, or 120ml cold water and 120ml milk, plus 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon oil or melted butter (or a mixture of oil and butter) over them. Separate and break up lumps by lifting and stirring (raking) the grains gently. This will help to keep each grain separate. Smooth the grains out and allow to dry for about 10 minutes. STEP 5: Repeat steps 3 and 4 for a second steaming of 20 minutes, but do not add more salt or oil. (Repeat a third time for hand-rolled couscous.) When you moisten the grains, this time use only water (if you added milk the first time). If you are preparing the couscous in advance, cover it with a damp tea towel; covered, it can be kept for several hours. STEP 6: About 30 minutes before serving, break up any lumps first with a whisk and then by working the grains lightly between wet fingers. Bring the water in the bottom pot to the boil. Pile all the couscous into the perforated top and steam for 10 minutes.

Dump the couscous onto a wide serving dish and toss with butter and smen, if using. Then gradually add your broth as described in the recipes, up to 240ml for instant couscous and up to 360ml for hand-rolled. (You may not need all the broth listed in the recipe.) Toss the grains, then leave to stand for 10 minutes before shaping and garnishing the couscous. Serve any remaining broth in a bowl or jug alongside for those who like their couscous very moist. Many kinds and types of barley used to make couscous Barley is grown in great quantity in Morocco and is used in many forms to make couscous. Barley for couscous comes in two sizes: a large grind that is similar to cracked barley and a small grind that is sold as barley grits. Look for these at well-stocked health food and whole food shops or online. If you cannot source them, you can pulse hulled barley to either a fine or a coarse grind in a spice mill or an electric blender, not a food processor.

Large or cracked barley is used to make hearty, festive couscous dishes such as the Berber Couscous, while the smaller barley grits are used to make a broad bean couscous and a beef and leafy greens couscous. For me, the most interesting barley couscous is one in which immature barley grains are transformed into the Moroccan version of Middle Eastern toasted green wheat (fireek, freekeh or farika). The immature barley is steamed, dried, slowly toasted on earthenware plates over embers and then cracked by hand. The largest pieces are used to make a special couscous called azenbu, available only in the Rif Mountains and the Souss, that is regarded by some connoisseurs as one of the most delicious of all couscous presentations. Admired for its purity and utter simplicity, it is the ultimate country dish. The barley is toasted in a pan with oregano, then cracked and sifted. The smaller grains are used in a soup and the larger grains are steamed over boiling water, placed on a platter, buttered and served with bowls of cold milk or buttermilk in the Berber style.

In the province of Zagora, they roll an unusual couscous fondly called ‘big couscous accompanied by its little brother’. Cracked barley grain rather than coarse semolina is used as a ‘magnet’ for fine semolina flour. The two grains are rolled together, creating a fascinating two-tone couscous that combines the deep full taste of semolina with the nutty warm flavour of barley. Though I have never tasted the particular sauce that accompanies this couscous, it was described to me as being made with camel head meat, pumpkin, turnips, dried broad beans and carrots and flavoured with dried onion, coriander seeds, dried rosemary, cumin and bay leaves. Large-grain couscous (mhamsa) A hand-rolled semolina couscous called mhamsa, which is twice the size of the regular packaged grain, is extremely popular in the mountainous parts of Morocco, particularly in the Souss area, where it is prepared as a holiday dish with chicken, onions, chickpeas and raisins. Shop-bought Israeli couscous (also called giant or jumbo couscous) can be substituted.

In the Rif Mountains, it’s more often served with khliî (preserved meat) or meat confit. Sometimes it is steamed, and other times it is cooked like a pasta and served in a soup. See page 184 for a wonderful version from the Rif made with meat confit, aged goats’ cheese and spices. Perfect winter food! 1000+ images about North African Cuisine on Pinterest | Lamb meatballs, Traditional and Chilean sea bass Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas North African Cuisine Known as Maghrebian cuisine, it blends traditions of Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia with strong colonial accents (French, British). Staple ingredients include: fish and seafood, meat (goat, lamb), dates, almonds, olives. Spices, nuts, fruits and veggies are also important part of the diet.

Try the best know delicacy - Couscous (steamed semolina served with meat or vegetable stew), Shakshouka (eggs in tomato, chili and onion sauce), Bamia (lamb and okra stew), Mergueza (spicy lamb sausage) 59 Pins3.46k Followers Herbed Couscous Salad Recipe | Chocolate & Zucchini 46 Herbed Couscous Salad Recipe My sister and I went through a pretty intense couscous* phase when we were teenagers: my mother kept a kitchen cabinet stocked with little pre-portioned pouches of semoule that barely needed a minute and a half of boiling before we could snip them open, pour their contents into a bowl, add a bit of salt and butter, and call it lunch. We loved the stuff. I remember suggesting this very menu to Maxence once, early in our relationship, and he looked at me like I had two heads. (Sometimes I think about this, and my former flame for canned beef ravioli , when people ask, “So, were you always interested in cooking?”) I no longer make whole meals out of plain couscous (see there, on top of my shoulders?

only one head!), but I have retained my fondness for the unique mouthfeel it provides, each forkful soft and pillowy before it bursts into a thousand tiny beads that roll around the tongue. I favor whole wheat couscous now, for reasons of nutrition and taste, and I serve it as an ultra-easy side to stews, Maghrebi in spirit or not. And in the summer, I like to use it as a base for quick, refreshing salads such as this one. It is inspired by the North African tabouli, better known in France and more ubiquitous at parties than the Lebanese version: couscous-based where its Lebanese cousin involves bulgur (cracked wheat), the North African tabouli also reverses the proportion of white (grains) to green (chopped herbs). Unless you make your own semolina, hand-rolling, steaming, and sun-drying the grains, which is crazy but admirable, preparing couscous takes ten minutes and approximately zero effort: the store-bought kind is pre-cooked, and only needs plumping in freshly boiled water. You don’t even need to turn on the stove; an electric kettle will suffice.

Other than that, there will be a little herb snipping involved — I like the well-balanced trio of parsley, chives, and mint, but you can pare that down or go wild depending on what you have on hand — and the slicing of a few cherry tomatoes, but that’s about it. Simple, really, and ideal for satisfying lunches, barbecues, and picnics. Tabouli ordinarily calls for lemon juice, but I find its sharp trill can overwhelm the other flavors, so I prefer to use bottled verjuice — the juice of unripe grapes — as the acidic component. The tomatoes in tabouli are usually diced from regular-size whole fruits, the juices of which help rehydrate the couscous grains, but cherry tomatoes tend to offer a sweeter and more concentrated tomato flavor that works nicely here, and is accented by a pinch of cinnamon. About the cinnamon I use I am in love with the fresh cinnamon I order from Cinnamon Hill, a small company that specializes in sourcing and selling the highest-quality, freshest cinnamon from Sri Lanka and Vietnam (ordinary cinnamon usually comes from China or Indonesia).

I get whole sticks , and grate them with the beautifully crafted (and highly giftable!) cinnamon grater that Cinnamon Hill has designed. Truly, you don’t know what cinnamon tastes like until you’ve tried freshly harvested, freshly grated, top-grade cinnamon, and it makes an amazing difference in this recipe. * The term couscous can be used to mean either, 1. a pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed Durum wheat semolina, like here, or 2. a North African dish consisting of said pasta, steamed and served with stewed vegetables and grilled meat. Tag your pics with #cnzrecipes Want to try this? Please share your pics on Instagram and Twitter -- I can't wait to see them! Couscous facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Couscous Encyclopedia of Food and Culture COPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. COUSCOUS COUSCOUS. Couscous (from the Berber word k'seksu ) is the staple product of North Africa and the national dish of the countries of Maghrib, that is, Algeria , Morocco, and Tunisia .

Couscous spread from this area, where it originated, to Libya , Mauritania , Egypt , and sub-Saharan countries. Couscous is also consumed in the Middle East , where it is called mughrabiyya. Couscous is an icon food in northern Africa for dietary and cultural reasons. Similar to rice, pasta, or bread, couscous is an inexpensive and highly nutritive product made from wheat or other cereals (barley, sorghum, corn, millet, or minor grains) with the capacity for long-term preservation. With a basic cooking system, it is possible to prepare an everyday meal or a luxury feast, a main course or a dessert. A versatile dish, couscous can be mixed with vegetables, legumes, meat, or fish, or it can be eaten with butter or fresh fruit. Couscous is an icon also because it permits the expression of national identities and ways of life, and it has religious and symbolic meanings. Women usually prepare the grain known as couscous during a family celebration, and the dish named couscous is eaten during a family feast, thereby associating both the product and the dish with solidarity.

Couscous accompanies Friday and end of Ramadan celebrations and birth and wedding feasts. The association of couscous with these festivities also attaches it to the concepts of abundance, fertility, fidelity, and Barakah ( God 's blessing). For example, while preparing couscous, women have to make an invocation and converse about religious facts, prosperity, and positive feelings. Preparation The grain. Although the use of precooked couscous has spread widely, making couscous is traditionally a female activity that involves much work. On a big flat plate, the woman in charge puts a handful of freshly ground hard wheat, sprinkles on salted water and a bit of flour, and with her palms treats the grain with rolling movements until the couscous granules appear. Later she sifts the grain with sieves of different diameters to obtain granules of similar size. Finally, couscous is sun-dried and stored or cooked. The dish.

Couscous is cooked in a special pot (a couscous steamer), usually earthen, which has two components: a bottom-perforated pan, which contains the grain, and a globular pot that stands underneath it and contains water or a boiling stew whose steam cooks the granules. Couscous is moistened with water and oil before cooking and then it is placed in the pan. Every ten or fifteen minutes, the couscous is taken out of the pan; oil or butter is added, and it is worked by hand to avoid the formation of curds. Couscous is ready when the granules are cooked, separated, soft, and moist. The basic ingredients of the couscous stew are seasonal vegetables and legumes (usually chickpeas), fish or meat (chicken, lamb, beef, rabbit, hare, and even camel), and spices. There are regional preferences regarding couscous. Algerian couscous includes tomatoes and a great variety of legumes and vegetables, and Moroccan couscous uses saffron. Tunisian couscous includes fish and dried fruit recipes and always contains chickpeas and a hot salsa (harissa).

Saharan couscous is served without legumes and without broth. After the grain is cooked, a pile of couscous is placed in a big platter topped with the meat or fish and vegetables. The couscous broth is put in a side bowl and optionally mixed with hot sauce. The History of Couscous Origins. The origin of couscous is uncertain. Lucie Bolens affirms that Berbers were preparing couscous as early as 238 to 149 b.c.e. (Bolens, 1989, p. 61). Nevertheless, Charles Perry states that couscous originated between the end of the Zirid dynasty and the rise of the Almohadian dynasty between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries (Perry, 1990, p. 177). Iberian Peninsula. Bolens dates the introduction of couscous into the Iberian Peninsula to the period of the Berber dynasties in the thirteenth century (Bolens, 1989, p. 62).

The popularity of couscous spread quickly among the Moors , and the two Arab cookbooks available from that time, the anonymous Kitâb al Tabij and Fadalat al Jiwan by Ibn Razîn al Tujibî, include couscous recipes. Sephardim incorporated couscous into their cuisine because of the Moorish influence and carried it to their asylum countries after their expulsion from Iberian lands (1492). It is still popularly consumed in Israel. Couscous also was a staple for the Moriscos, who ate it during secular and religious celebrations. Consequently, the Inquisition prosecuted its consumption. The hostility toward Morisco culture and foodways led to the disappearance of alcuzcuz from Spain and to the development of a derivative, migas. In Portugal the gentry and nobility still consumed couscous during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; however, the cozido à Madeirense (a couscous dish) has its origin in African influences.

According to Francisco Abad, the couscous recipes included in the Spanish court cookbook by Martínez de Montiño (seventeenth century) are related to the author's Portuguese origin (Abad, 2000, pp. 23–24). Italy. Cùscusu is a typical dish of western Sicily, especially of Trapani, where it is eaten with a fish stew or in a sweet recipe. There is no agreement about the date of the introduction of couscous into Sicily. Some writers claim that couscous was introduced during the Muslim period (827–1063), while others state that it was introduced after the settlement of Sephardim in the island, at the end of the fifteenth century. Brazil . The introduction of couscous into Brazil in the sixteenth century, according to Luis da Cámara Cascudo, was a result of the culinary influences of both Portugal and African slaves cultures (Cascudo, 1983, pp. 207–211). There are two varieties.

Southern couscous (Cuscuz paulista) is a steamed cake made from corn flour, vegetables, spices, chicken, or fish (prawns and sardines). The northern variety (cuscuz nordestino) is a steamed pudding made from tapioca flour and sugar and moistened with coconut milk. This is a popular Brazilian breakfast. Couscous in the Western World Couscous has developed worldwide popularity. Among the explanations for its success are the increasing importance of vegetarianism, the preference for healthy foods that are aesthetically attractive, the trendy fascination with the Mediterranean cuisine, and the culinary influence of Maghribian immigrants in the Western world. See also Africa: North Africa; Brazil; Iberian Peninsula; Italy; Legumes; Mediterranean Diet; Middle East. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abad, Francisco. Cuscús: Recetas e Historias del Alzcuzcuz Magrebí-Andalusí [Couscous: Recipes and stories about the Maghribian and Andalusian couscous]. Zaragoza: Libros Certeza, 2000. Bolens, Lucie.

"L'étonnante apparition du couscous en Andalousie médiévale (XIIIe siècle): Essai d'interprétation historique" [The surprising apparition of couscous in Medieval Andalusie, thirteenth century: An attempt of historical interpretation]. In Mélanges en l'Honneur du Professeur Anne-Marie Piuz, 61–70. Genève: Université de Genève, 1989. Cascudo, Luís da Cámara. História da Alimentação no Brasil [History of food in Brazil]. 2 vols. São Paulo: Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, 1983. Perry, Charles. "Couscous and Its Cousins." In Staple Foods: Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery 1989, pp. 176–178. London: Prospect Books, 1990. Teresa de Castro Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA Glossary of Cajun Cooking Terms - Cajun Country Rice - Crowley, Louisiana To Your Health Andouille (ahn-DOO-ee) – Andouille is a type of smoked sausage made with pork, garlic, pepper, onions, wine and seasonings. Boucherie (boo-sher-EE) – A boucherie is a communal neighborhood hog-butchering party that usually results in boudin, cracklins and hogshead cheese. Boudin (boo-DAHN) – Boudin is a type of Cajun sausage made of pork, rice, onions and seasoning stuffed into a casing. Boulettes (boo-LETS) – Boulettes are meatballs, and are commonly found in a Cajun stew. Cajun Microwave – A Cajun microwave is a large charcoal-heated outdoor cooker. Cajun Trinity (or Holy Trinity) – The combination of chopped onion, celery and bell pepper; the base of most savory Cajun dishes. Ça c’est bon! (SAH-say-bohn) – That’s good! Cher (sha) – While not necessarily limited to cooking, cher is a term of endearment used in kitchens and at tables across Louisiana.

i.e., “That was some good boudin, cher!” Cochon de Lait (ko-SHOHN-duh-LAY) – A cochon de lait is a social gathering at which a suckling pig is roasted. Courtbouillon (KOO-be-yahn) – Courtbouillon is fish stew served over rice. It’s usually made with catfish and sometimes is called Couvillion. Coush Coush (KOOSH-KOOSH) – The name “Coush Coush” comes from “couscous,” a North African dish of steamed semolina. Coush Coush is a Cajun cornmeal recipe most often used as a hot cereal. Dirty Rice – Dirty Rice, also known as rice dressing, is a dish that gets its “dirty” color from being cooked with ground meat, green bell pepper, celery and onion. Envie (ahn-VEE) – If you’ve got an envie for something, it means you’re craving it. We Cajuns almost always have an envie for boudin!

Étouffée (ay-too-FAY) – Étouffée is a dish prepared by braising or smothering the ingredients (meat, seafood, vegetables) in a covered pot with a little water, and which is usually onion-based (rather than roux-based) and served over rice. Filé (fee-LAY) – Filé is ground sassafras leaves. Filé is used as a thickening and seasoning agent in gumbo. Fricassée (free-kah-SAY) – Fricassée is a stew that’s usually roux-based and served over rice. Gradoux (grah-DOO) – Gradoux is the good stuff that gets stuck to your pot when cooking things down. It’s essential to making a tasty gravy. Some also call this “grismies” (gree-MEEZ). Gratin (grah-TAHN) – Gratin is the crispy, brown or burnt crust along the bottom of a pot of rice. Graton (grah-TOHN) – A graton is a cracklin, or piece of fried pork rind.

Grillade (GREE-yahd) – Slice or cube of meat, often marinated and cut into small pieces for cooking. Gumbo – Gumbo is a roux-based, soup-like dish made with meat, seafood, or both and with or without okra, served over rice. Jambalaya (jahm-buh-LIE-uh) – Dish made from raw rice cooked in the broth of meat or seafood with other seasonings. Great for feeding a Cajun crowd. Lagniappe (LAHN-yop) – Lagniappe is “a little something extra” or a bonus. Maque Choux (mock-SHOO) – Maque choux is a dish made of young corn, onions and tomatoes. Pastalaya (pasta-LIE-uh) – A spicy, pasta-based jambalaya with shrimp, chicken and Andouille sausage. Yum! Patate (pah-TOT) – Potato. Used in the popular Cajun phrase “Lâche pas la patate!” which means “Don’t drop the potato,” or “Don’t give up.” i.e., Don’t give up on learning to make your own roux!

Po’ Boy – A po’boy is a traditional submarine sandwich from Louisiana. It almost always consists of roast beef or fried seafood and is served on baguette-like French bread. Roux (roo) – Flour browned in fat (usually butter, oil or lard) and used for thickening gravies, gumbo, courtbouillon and many other Cajun dishes. If you can make your own roux, it’s a source of pride. If you can’t, you can always buy it by the jar. Sauce Piquante (pee-KAHNT) – Highly seasoned sauce that accompanies many traditional meat and fish dishes, usually served over rice. Tasso – Sun-dried or smoked meat (esp. pork, beef or fish) cut into strips resembling jerky. Cajun Country Rice The Cajun Country brand has earned a solid reputation with cooks who want the best from their gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, and other popular Cajun dishes.

Whether it’s firm long grain, tender medium grain, healthy whole grain brown, or the slightly distinctive aroma of our popcorn rice or Jasmine rice, Cajun Country has been the leading brand of rice in Louisiana for those that demand quality products when cooking delicious meals.

Question: Which North African dish consists of crushed semolina, which can be steamed and served with vegetables, chicken or fish?
Answer: Couscous