I think very few people have not heard of couscous, a Moroccan pasta. Most people are probably more familiar with the instant variety that only takes about five minutes to cook. There are now as many instances of these types as there are brands of couscous that can come in a variety of flavors. One of the leading companies of instant couscous is Near East and it was known to me years ago. Not only does it have a distinctly original flavor in the East, but now it also has Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil, Herbed Chicken, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mediterranean Curry, Parmesan, Tomato Lentils, Broccoli & Cheese, and Wild Mushroom & Herb. What a fantastic choice!
I don’t know exactly when I first thought about eating couscous, but I did it many, many years ago when I first started cooking seriously about thirty years ago. As I am always eager to try something new, I remember that I came across a wonderful recipe lambs roasted in delicious tomatoes< /a> and beef stock, and soon before serving, add sour cream. The recipe I recommend is serving this lamb dish on a “bed” of couscous, which frankly at the time I had never even heard of before. I then began to look into what couscous was and how it was prepared.
People now have the advantage of the famous instant couscous, which takes no more than five minutes to cook, although in the tradition of their ancestors, they spend a lot of time. First of all, the couscous dish is not only Moroccan, but is cultivated in most of the northern African countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, as well as Egypt, although its popularity is now spread almost throughout the world.
How far back couscous has been eaten is anyone’s guess, but it was first mentioned in Spanish-Muslim cookery in the 13th century, which translated the name “The Book of Cooking”, however, it is suspected that the origins and consumption of this type of granular pasta go back even further. (1) Couscous itself is a granular pasta made from wheat semolina and has the appearance of, of course, raw sugar.
The traditional way of cooking couscous is a lot more complicated than the easy, instant five-minute kind. First, the couscous is moistened. He takes a sample of the cup of couscous, put it in a bowl, then add two or three cups of water to the bowl of couscous, then simply using your fingers, stir the couscous for about a few minutes, then a fine mesh sieve; Pour the couscous and water into a sieve to drain excess water. So one should place the couscous on something like a cookie sheet and spread the couscous evenly on the sheet and make sure to remove any lumpy qualities and separate each couscous grain quite properly. To absorb all the water in the couscous and soak it, it is necessary to let each grain of couscous swell for at least ten minutes.
Unlike instant types of couscous, the traditional way of cooking never adds water to cook the couscous itself, but instead steams hot water. Prior to the more modern couscous which are now made of stainless steel and known as couscoussière, there were older stoves. from earthenware, glass, later, copper. The whole cooking couscous comes in two parts… The top part is where you put one to smoke the couscous, and underneath to cook either a broth or a soup, usually a type of lamb soup that would be used with the couscous. . Smoking couscous in this way allows the flavors of the soup or soup to infuse themselves into the couscous, adding flavor, since couscous is a more transparent taste.
After the couscous has swelled, then the couscous can be put on the top of the couscous stove and steamed for about twenty minutes. If you don’t believe it, put the steamer and the couscous in a large dish, and separate the grains again, so that they are free of lumps, then add about a cup of water, and separate the couscous grains again; then pour over it the cookie sheet again and spread it evenly and allow it to dry for another ten minutes. Finally, replace the couscous in the steamer part of the cooking couscous and steam again for another twenty to thirty minutes.
My kindness! Aren’t you glad we don’t have to cook through all this anymore if you don’t want to? But I ordered to cook a traditional couscous if you ever feel like cooking it this way. I am providing links to pages that show step-by-step instructions on how to prepare couscous the traditional way for those who want to do it.
As above, when couscous was prepared in the traditional couscous cooker, it is often steamed into the soup at the bottom of the stove, and when most Eastern or North African countries eat more lamb, the soup was usually a kind of lamb dish. And the beauty of couscous is that almost any meal can be prepared to be excellent and served with couscous.
For those who want a faster way to prepare couscous, that is by using five types of mincemeat, such as the East East, I recommend only using the original field variety with any type of veal. Back when I first decided to have couscous instead of that roast lamb some thirty or so years ago, there was only one available at Oriental Original Flavor that was just as good. Any kind of savory couscous can be made, with a pleasant taste and flavor of the soup, whether lamb or beef. In addition to just serving a type of beef couscous soup, I found it went wonderfully well with a French dish I often make, Boeuf Bourguignon, which is a very good beef stew with dry red wine for beef stock. The absolutely delicious flavor of Boeuf Bourguignon would be completely lost if one used the well-known savory couscous.
However, the savory varieties of couscous will add a special touch to any other meal, even a holiday meal. Instead of using rice, noodles, potatoes or any regular type of pasta, have couscous instead. Having dinner chicken fried steak? Why not use it with Oriental Herbed Chicken or Mediterranean Curry Couscous. Serve with Parmesan or roasted garlic & Olive oil flavored couscous with Chicken Parmesan. For that Thanksgiving dinner, if you don’t have the usual inexpensive side dish for that turkey meal, why not try the Broccoli & Cheese or Wild Mushroom & A tasty couscous herb. These famous seasonings at Oriental Couscous can not only make any chicken dinner special in a new way, but can also be used as a delicious side dish. >, for any pork, beef or even fish meals. For example, I just love the taste of Toasted Pine Nut Couscous with my special Salmon Steak with Julienne Strips Leek and Carrots with Wine Sauce list.
While thankfully no one wants to prepare couscous for the elderly, unless someone wants to, the instant brand of couscous only takes five minutes to prepare, everything that goes on the box follows the instructions, but usually one boils one cup. water in a pot, add a tablespoon of butter, add couscous.
As you can see, using couscous, whether plain or savory types can really make any meal a little more special and a great change from the usual rice, noodles, potatoes or even pasta. So if you’ve never had couscous before treat it to your next meal.
The history of couscous
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous(1)
How to cook Couscous in the Traditional way?
http://www.free-recipes.co.uk/couscous-the-middle-eastrn-way.html
http://lulumanhattan.blogspot.com/2005/10/traditional-way-to-make-couscous.html
Couscous Cookers
http://www.creativecookware.com/couscousieres.htm?gclid=CN-dmYiL0pMCFQoDGgodZjfdhA
http://www.decofinder.com/df/gb/produits/2016/Couscous-Cooker.html
Near East Couscous Website
http://www.neareast.com/home.html
