What Is Couscous?

“Couscous” refers to the grain product naturally made from semolina (wheat rawa). Although it can be made from different grains like barley and millet, various dishes are prepared.

The dish is usually made by boiling the grains in a n utensil over a boiling stew until light and fluffy to absorb the granule’s flavors before being served together.

The people of  Northwest African places like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Mauritania love this food. They submitted a joint proposal for Couscous to receive intangible cultural heritage status from UNESCO. This UNESCO is the world’s most precious cultural practice, approved last December.

Couscous may be small, but it packets a significant hit. It is a diminutive form of pasta made from hard wheat (semolina) or barley corn. It can serve as a quick, wholesome base or side dish for various mealtimes. It becomes cottony when prepared but remains wholehearted with a chewy, firm consistency because of its neutral flavor staple for both sweet and salty recipes.

The History of Couscous

The exact details of Couscous’s origins are unknown, but we know when it could have emerged. “Since the forties, we have become aware of 13th and 14th century Arabic cookery books which contain couscous recipes,” food historian Charles Perry wrote in the essay “Couscous And Its Cousins” published in “Staple Foods: Oxford Symposium on Food 1989.” “But altogether, the suspicious silences about couscous in sources from before the 13th era, coupled with the obvious Berber derivation of the Arabic word ‘Kumkum,’ suggests that Couscous arose among the Berbers of northern Algeria and Morocco during the obscure period between the 11th-century collapse of the Zi rid Kingdom and the triumph of the Almohad in the 13th.”

Different types of Couscous

Anything labeled “couscous” or sometimes “Moroccan couscous” denotes the (typically semolina) grain product we’ve been discoursing thus far. What we find in most grocery shops in the United States is typically immediate, prepare, or quick-cooking, the sense that it has been steam and dried out. It only needs to be reconstruct with boiling water before eating. Otherwise, it is typically steamed often continually until light and cottony. On store tables, you may also see whole-wheat Couscous, which has a wackier flavor.

Israeli Couscous.

In the beginning, Couscous is call p’titim (also written ptitim), which 2426 explains as “flakes” or “little crushes” in Hebrew. Israeli Couscous is not Couscous but slightly squeeze-out pasta that has been heated. It was invent in the 1950s by the Osem food company at the behest of the then-prime minister of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, as a more affordable alternative to rice.

Typically thought of as kids’ food to those in Israel, it was introduce to and popularized among the broader U.S. audience by American chef and cookbook author Don Pintabona, who learn while visiting the home of Israeli-born chef and cookbook author Mika Sharon for dinner. Sharon was feeding it to her daughter, but Pintabona ask for a taste and fell in love. Pintabona name it “Israeli couscous” when he add it to the New York City’s Tribeca Grill menu. In terms of flavor, it is similar to Sardinian fregola, another toast semolina-based pasta.

Pearl couscous.

Pearl couscous is strictly a large variety of Moroccan Couscous. However, it’s sometimes mistakenly use synonymously by Israeli Couscous. Usually, the size of a pea pearl is even more significant than that of Israeli Couscous.

This is the most considerable variability of it, and it takes a long time to cook. It’s a beautiful addition to soups or other hearty comfort food guidelines. It’s rougher than Moroccan or Israeli Couscous, which styles it ideal for including into a comfortable perfect dish for winter nights.

What’s the method to Cook Couscous

To start cooking, wash the Couscous with cold water to remove excess starch and support it consistently to reach tender perfection.

Next, boil your minimum water, soup, or chicken stock. Use an amount of Couscous and make it in a liquid form. Add butter, herbs, pepper-corns, garlic, cloves, a bay leaf, or a little white wine to give your meal some additional taste.

To enhance its rich nut flavor, heat it first. Before adding it to the pot, drizzle extra virgin olive oil first and toss it in a non-stick frypan. When it turns golden brown, it’s ready to add. This turns very fast brown, so keep observing it.

Once it is fully cook and ready to serve, use a fork to fuzz it up. Toss it from bottom to top so it gets lighter in weight at the time of plating.

How to Store it

Put the leftover Couscous in the refrigerator in an air-tight bottle. It can be kept in the fridge for up to three to four days or store in the freezer for 90 to 120 days.

To reheat, put it on the stove, into a pan, and add a spoonful of olive oil. Stir it continuously on low to medium heat until it gets ready.

To Preheat the Couscous in the microwave, add three spoons of water per cup of leftover and cook at high temperature for 2-3 minutes. If it’s not warm, stir it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

 Top 5 Health Benefits

1. Useful source of selenium

Couscous is a valuable source of vitamins and minerals supporting our immune system. It is an essential mineral that acts as an antioxidant and is vital for thyroid function and hormones.

2. Source of plant-based protein

Though it is not a whole protein, it is a good source that provides about 7g per 100g. It’s a helpful presence in plant-focus food, a way of eating that may be connect to risky situations like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

3. Source of fiber

Couscous is a source of fiber, but to optimize levels, it is looking for whole grains made from the whole grain. Fiber supports digestive health and eases constipation. The research says that it may help to improve the level of helpful bacteria in the automatic. Whole meal is also more satisfying, as the fiber breakdown of sugar into blood circulation provides a more stable basis of energy.

4. A healthy substitute for white rice

Couscous provides more protein and a more significant contribution of vitamins and minerals than the equivalent portion of white rice.

5. A healthy fast food

Couscous is fast and easy to prepare. This is available in most supermarkets has already been steam before being dry, so it just needs the addition of boiling water or stock to rehydrate it. It may be add to salads or serve as a side dish with meat, fish, or vegetables.

Harmless for everyone?

Frequently recognized as harmless for most individuals, Couscous is a wheat product with gluten. This means it is non appropriate for those with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.

Conclusion

Couscous is a multipurpose, hale, hearty, and easy-to-make grain present at home in various dishware. Try adding some to your next state, presenting it with mutton or beef, or consuming it as a salad or grain container base. You won’t guilt it!