Couscous
(North African steamed pasta grains)
Couscous is a commonly served starch in the region of Northwest Africa known as the Maghreb. In typical Maghreb cooking, couscous is cooks in the top part of a pot known as a couscousière. The bottom part holds a stew, or tagine, whose simmering steams and flavors the couscous. The method described here is the quick way to make couscous. It does not make as fluffy or fragrant a dish, but it is much easier and requires no special equipment.
4 to 6 servings
- Couscous -- 2 cups
- Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Boiling water or stock -- 2 cups
Method
- Mix the couscous and salt together in a large bowl. Pour the boiling water or stock over liquid all at once into the couscous and stir in well.
- Cover the bowl with a tight-fitting lid, plate or with plastic wrap. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes to steam.
- Remove the cover and fluff the couscous with a fork. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil if you like. Use couscous as a base for North African tagines and stews, or as an accompaniment to hot entrees or cold salads.
Notes
- Couscous looks like a small grain, but is actually a type of semolina pasta. Variations are found in Spain, Sicily, the Middle East and even Brazil. In one type—Israeli couscous—grains are about the size of a small pea.
- Other names for couscous: keskesu, kuskus, mftoul, seksu, ta'aam, kusksi, kisksu, cuscusu.
an important note is that
an important note is that some dishes maybe "typically" North African however very different from eachother.
As an Algerian Cook I can tell that couscous from my part of te second biggest country of Africa is red and spicy, when the typpical couscous from Morocco is brown and sweet.
We have many different dishes that we do not know of eachother, meanwhile almost every cookbook makes ist appear that the North African kitchen is pretty much the same everywhere...
Because North Africa is an important passage for Africa, the Middle East and Europe to mtravel to one another its a very fused kitchen as well as the inhabitents of the region. It's a mix of various cultures , races and cuisines. Not at all as much comparable as people would like to assume.
Great Point
Thanks for pointing out the differences. You are correct in noting that many people think North African cuisine (or for that matter Asian, Middle Eastern or South American cuisine) is all the same. It's the differences between countries, regions and even cities and villages that make local cuisine so exciting and fascinating.