What is cous cous and what can I cook with it

Today, in many culinary shows on television, you can see how participants or hosts prepare different dishes from couscous. And what is couscous and where did it come from?

It turns out that small grain balls, covered with flour, were a favorite product in North Africa back in the 13th century. Today, couscous also continues to be a national dish of North African Arabs, as well as Berbers (inhabitants of the desert). And Mediterranean cuisine is so inconceivable without this cereal, donated by the Moroccans.

What is couscous, how is it made?

The process of making couscous is very laborious, despite the apparent simplicity. Perhaps, this is what determines its relatively high price in our supermarkets. The couscous has long been prepared by women. First, the manga is sprinkled with water, then the resulting mass is rubbed up by hands, grains are formed, which are then sprinkled with flour. Then the couscous is passed through a sieve and dried. The procedure is repeated several times, as a result of which appear small balls of golden color.

What is couscous and how and with what it is eaten

A gentle and pleasant consistency of couscous, and also its ability to absorb soothing sauces makes ready meals from it very tasty. Traditionally, it is prepared for stewing meat, that is, for a couple, so that the couscous absorbs all the flavors, but there will not be excessive fat in it. This groat is good both as a side dish and as an ingredient for warm and cold salads. It is very important to observe the harmony of taste when preparing dishes with couscous - and cereals, vegetables, meat, and roots should just melt in the mouth. It is very good to cook couscous in a steamer, in the lower compartment of which meat (chicken, lamb, beef or fish) is laid with vegetables (pumpkin, onions, carrots, garlic or nuts), and in the upper - croup, where it will be soaked with vegetable and Meaty spirit.

Couscous may also be an ingredient in a sweet dish. In this case, it is cooked with dried fruits, nuts, grapes, and already in the ready dish, called "masfuf", add sugar, butter and milk.

Well, now we've talked about what a couscous is. It's time to move on to the practical part. Below is just a couple of recipes with this product, but remember that the kitchen is not only important knowledge and experience, but also fantasy. So you can safely experiment - with couscous, the dishes will still be tasty, harmonious and tender.

Couscous with chicken

Boil the chicken meat (200 g), cool and finely chop it. Couscous (200 g) is poured with boiling water (300 ml) and after about 10 minutes we loosen the fork. We pour couscous with vegetable oil (6 tablespoons), as well as juice of 2 lemons and 1 lime, stir, let cool. During this time we cut: for quarters cherry tomatoes (150 g), for halves - tomatoes "lady's fingers" (4 pcs.), For thin plates - one small red onion, fresh parsley (4 tablespoons), fresh mint 3 tablespoons). Add the rest of the ingredients, including chicken meat, to the cooled couscous, and we get a surprisingly tasty, satisfying and light salad.

Couscous with vegetables

Narubim finely carrots (1 pc.) And onions (1 pc.). Pour the vegetable oil into the saucepan (4 tablespoons), put the vegetables and fry on medium heat for about 6 minutes. During this time, cut into small cubes of a small zucchini (200 g will be enough) and a large sweet pepper (red, yellow) . We put the vegetables in the saucepan to a carrot with onions and, stirring, stir-fry for another 7-8 minutes (until the vegetables are ready). Grind a couple of cloves of garlic and add to the fried vegetables. After half a minute, pour in water or vegetable broth (400 ml), salt and bring to a boil. We put couscous (200 g) in a saucepan, mix thoroughly, cover the dishes with a lid and remove from heat. After 5 minutes, when the couscous will "reach", loosen it with a fork and serve the dish to the table.