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Couscous

Mon, 28/05/2007 - 22:49 — Ryan

Next week’s ingredient is… CARROTS! Send your recipes to Edwina and Will at thoughtfulfoodsunsw@yahoo.com.au by Friday, 1 June.

History and product info

Couscous is literally 'well rounded'. This curious form of pasta is thought to have originated in West Arica and to have quickly spread through Northern Africa to parts of the Middle East and Northern Europe. Today it is a staple in Algeria, Libya, eastern Morocco, Tunisia, and Sahel, as well as France, Sicily and parts of the Middle East.

Couscous is traditionally made from coarse-ground durum wheat (Triticum durum) which is mixed with a little water and rolled into small pellets and coated in a little fine flour. The mixture is sieved and the small pellets are reformed until all of the couscous is retained in the sieve. The mixture is then sun-dried and stored. These days quick cooking couscous is made by machine, and cheaper versions are made with hard wheat instead of durum. In some regions it's made from barley or pearl millet.

Nutritionally, couscous has about 13% protein, 1.5% fat, no cholesterol, and is thought to be a good source of B Vitamins. Unlike traditional pastas, couscous is also used as a sweet.

Both Ainsley Harriott and Wikipedia were scavenged. For further information see:

http://www.ainsley-harriott.com/ainsley-harriott-cous-info.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous

http://mybookofrai.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/07/the_march_of_co.html for the movement of couscous across the globe.

Storage and tips

  • Store couscous in a sealed container.
  • To cook, place couscous in a heatproof bowl and cover with equal parts water (or stock), cover and leave for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Fluff by stirring with a fork.
  • Before cooking, you can stir a little oil or melted butter into the couscous to make sure grains separate nicely.
  • Delicious as a side mixed with currants, almonds and cumin, or caramelised onion.

Recipes