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Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas

Couscous or kuskus (pronounced /ˈkuːskuːs/ in the US, /ˈkʊskʊs/ in the UK; Berber Seksu - Arabic: كسكس‎, called maftoul in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine) is a food from the Maghreb of Berber origin. It consists of spherical granules made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. The finished grains are about 1 mm in diameter before cooking. Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed. In many places, a more processed quick-cook couscous is available and is particularly valued for its short preparation time. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2772x1914, 1168 KB) Beschreibung Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Couscous Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2772x1914, 1168 KB) Beschreibung Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Couscous Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the... Afro-Asiatic - Berber The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ... Arabic redirects here. ... A 2003 satellite image of the region. ... The Arab Maghreb Union This article is about the region. ... Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. ... Picture of semolina Semolina grains Semolina is coarsely ground grain, usually wheat, with particles mostly between 0. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... For other uses, see Flour (disambiguation). ...

The dish is a primary staple throughout the Maghreb;^[2] in much of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya it is also known as ṭa`aam طعام, "food".^{[citation needed]} It is also popular in the West African Sahel, in France, Madeira island, in western Sicily's Trapani province, and parts of the Middle East. It is particularly popular among Jews of North African descent, such as the Berbers^[3], and is eaten in many other parts of the world as well. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Arab Maghreb Union This article is about the region. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Madeira (disambiguation). ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... Trapani is a city on the west coast of Sicily in Italy. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Berber Jews are the Berber Jewish communities inhabiting the region of the Maghreb in North Africa. ...

Couscous is traditionally served under a meat or vegetable stew. It can also be eaten alone flavored or plain, warm or cold, as a dessert or a side dish. Beef Stew A stew is a common dish made of vegetables (particularly potatoes or beans), meat, poultry, or seafood cooked in some sort of broth or sauce. ... Not to be confused with Desert. ...

Etymology

The name is derived from Maghrebi Arabic kuskusu or ksaksu, which is from Tamazight seksu^[4] (meaning well rolled, well formed, rounded).^[5] The other variant, keskesu is mainly used by the Tuareg.^[6] In Libya it is commonly called "kusksi," though "kisksu" is also used. In Malta, something called kusksu is similar but much larger in size. At Trapani in Sicily cuscusu is served with fish, like trout or anchovies. Maghrebi Arabic is a cover term for the dialects of Arabic spoken in the Maghreb, including Western Sahara, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. ... Afro-Asiatic - Berber The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ... For other senses of this name, see Tuareg (disambiguation). ...

Manufacturing

The couscous granules are made from semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) or, in some regions, from coarsely ground barley or pearl millet. In Brazil, the traditional couscous is made from pre-cooked sweetcorn flakes. ^[7] Picture of semolina Semolina grains Semolina is coarsely ground grain, usually wheat, with particles mostly between 0. ... Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum) is the only tetraploid species of wheat widely cultivated today. ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (L.) R. Br. ...

Couscous from semolina (wheat)

The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep the pellets separate, and then sieved. The pellets which are too small to be finished grains of couscous fall through the sieve to be again sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny grains of couscous. Sometimes salt is added to the semolina and water. This article is about common table salt. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ...

This process is very labor intensive. In the traditional method of preparing couscous, groups of women would come together and make large batches over several days^[8]. These would then be dried in the sun and used for several months. Couscous was traditionally made from the hard part of the hard wheat Triticum durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive millstone. In modern times, couscous production is largely mechanized, and the product sold in markets around the world. Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... Binomial name Triticum durum Desf. ... The interior of a functional water mill The basic anatomy of a millstone. ...

Couscous from pearl millet

In the Sahel, millet is pounded or milled to the size and consistency necessary for the couscous. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Background

History

One of the first written references is from an anonymous 13th century Hispano-Muslim cookery book, "Kitāb al-tabǐkh fǐ al-Maghrib wa'l-Andalus" : The book of cooking in the Maghreb and Al Andalus, with a recipe for couscous that was 'known all over the world'. From the name, it appears that this dish was not Arabic, but Berber. Couscous was known to the Nasrid royalty in Granada as well. And in the 13th century a Syrian historian from Aleppo includes four references for couscous. These early mentions show that couscous spread rapidly, but that in the main, couscous was common from Tripolitania to the west, while from Cyrenaica to the east the main cuisine was Egyptian, with couscous as an occasional dish. Today, in Egypt and the Middle East, couscous is known, but in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Libya couscous is a staple. The Arab Maghreb Union This article is about the region. ... This article is about the historical region. ... Nasrid is the name referring to the royal dynasty that ruled the kingdom of Granada in southern Spain from the mid 13th century to the 15th century, which is considered to be one of the longest Islamic dynasties in the history of Islamic Spain. ... For other uses, see Granada (disambiguation). ... Location of the governorate of Aleppo within Syria Aleppo (Arabic: [ḥalab], ) is a city in northern Syria, capital of the Aleppo Governorate. ... Tripolitania is a historic region of western Libya, centered around the coastal city of Tripoli. ... The Roman Empire ca. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

One of the earliest references to couscous in Northern Europe is in Brittany, in a letter dated Jan. 12 1699. But it made a much earlier appearance in Provence, where the traveler Jean Jacques Bouchard writes of eating it in Toulon in 1630. Historical province of Brittany, showing the main areas with their name in Breton language The traditional flag of Brittany (the Gwenn-ha-du), formerly a Breton nationalist symbol but today used as a general civic flag in the region. ... Coat of arms of Provence Provence (Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) was a Roman province and now is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean Sea adjacent to Italy. ... Panorama of Toulon area. ...

African origins

There is some evidence that the process of couscous cookery, especially the steaming of the grain over broth in a special pot, might have originated before the tenth century in the area of West Africa now comprising Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. Ibn Batuta journeyed to Mali in 1352, and in what is now Mauritania he had a pearl millet couscous. He also noted rice couscous in the area of Mali in 1350. Also, for centuries, among the nomadic Berbers, black African women were employed as couscous cooks, another possible indication of the sub-Saharan origin of the dish.^[9] There are others who say that couscous was brought from Ethiopia to North Africa in the seventh century by conquering Arab armies. (Claudia Roden, "Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey, and Lebanon,").  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta (February 24, 1304 - 1377) was a Moroccan Berber traveller and explorer. ...

Cooking

A couscoussière a traditional steamer for couscous.

When properly cooked couscous should be light and fluffy; it should not be gummy or gritty. Couscous is steamed two to three times.^{[citation needed]} The traditional North African method is to use a steamer called a kiska:s in Arabic or couscoussière in French. The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked in a stew. On top of the base a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavors from the stew. The lid to the steamer has holes around its edge so that steam can escape. It is also possible to use a pot with a steamer insert. If the holes are too big the steamer can be lined with damp cheesecloth. There is little archeological evidence of early use of couscous, mainly because the original couscoussière was probably made from organic material which would not survive. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 496 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (636 × 768 pixels, file size: 192 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 496 × 599 pixelsFull resolution‎ (636 × 768 pixels, file size: 192 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ...

Instant couscous

The couscous available to buy in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried, the package directions usually instruct to add it to a little boiling water in a pot and covering for 5 minutes to make it ready for consumption. Another quick and easy method is to prepare it by placing the couscous in a bowl and pouring the boiling water or stock over the couscous, then covering the bowl tightly. The couscous swells and within a few minutes is ready to fluff with a fork and serve. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than dried pasta or grains such as rice. For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ...

Recipes and combinations

Couscous with vegetables

In Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, couscous is generally served with vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc.) cooked in a spicy or mild broth or stew, and some meat (generally, chicken, lamb or mutton); in Morocco, couscous can also be topped with fish in a sweet sauce with raisins and caramelized onions; In Tunisia, the most common way is to prepare couscous with a tomato base sauce and beef or lamb. However, on the coast various types of sea food, including squid, octopus and fish are prepared with couscous. Couscous with White grouper (called 'Kusksi bil mennani' in Tunisian Arabic) is considered a delicacy in Tunisia, as is 'Kusksi bil ousbane', in which couscous is stuffed into sheep guts (reminiscent of Scottish haggis). A sweet version with nuts, dates and spices is also eaten for breakfast, called 'mesfouf'. In some parts of Libya fish and squid are also used. The stew in Tunisia is red with a tomato and chili base, whereas in Morocco it is generally yellow. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sheep redirects here. ... An unweaned lamb Legs of lamb in a supermarket cabinet The terms lamb, hoggett or mutton are culinary names for the meat of a domestic sheep. ... For other uses, see Squid (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Octopus (disambiguation). ... an uncooked small haggis Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Squid (disambiguation). ...

In Morocco it is also served, sometimes at the end of a meal or just by itself, as a delicacy called "Seffa". The couscous is usually steamed several times until it is very fluffy and pale in color. It is then sprinkled with almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Traditionally, this dessert will be served with milk perfumed with orange blossom water, or it can be served plain with buttermilk in a bowl as a cold light soup for supper.

Couscous is very popular in France, where the word "couscous" usually refers to couscous together with the stew. Packaged sets containing a box of quick-preparation couscous and a can of vegetables and, generally, meat are sold in French grocery stores and supermarkets.

In North America and Great Britain couscous is available most commonly as either plain or pre-flavored, quick-preparation boxes. In the United States it is widely available but largely confined to the ethnic or health food section of larger grocery stores. In the United States, couscous is known as a type of pasta. However in most other countries it is considered a distinct type of cereal food in its own right. North American redirects here. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Grain redirects here. ...

There are recipes from Brazil that use boiled couscous molded into timbale with other ingredients. Timbale -- a disc-shaped mold for various sorts of food -- derived from thimble. ...

Similar products

• The name couscous is also used for prepared dishes made from other grains, such as barley, pearl millet, sorghum, rice, or maize.

• Berkoukes are pasta bullets made by the same process, but are larger than the grains of couscous.

• Fregula, a pasta from Sardinia, consists of pellets that are larger than couscous and toasted.

For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (L.) R. Br. ... Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are utilised as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ... This article is about the maize plant. ... Uncooked Fregula Fregula (aka Fregola) is a type of pasta from Sardinia. ... For the place in the United States, see Sardinia, Ohio. ...

Israeli couscous

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

Israeli couscous (in Hebrew פתיתים אפויים 'baked flakes'), also known as maftoul or pearl couscous, is a larger version of couscous and used in slightly different ways.^[10] In Western cooking it is often used as a bed for salmon or chicken dishes, or put into salads. Compare with Middle Eastern Tabouli or egg barley. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... For other uses, see Salmon (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article deals with food. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Tabouli (or tabbouleh) is a Middle Eastern vegetarian salad. ... Egg barley is an egg-based pasta of Eastern European origin. ...

Israeli couscous is a version of North African Berkukes, introduced by immigrants from various parts of North Africa in the early 1950s, and Levantine Maghrebiyya (from the Maghreb) common in Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Couscous was meant to provide a rice substitute for those immigrants from eastern Arab countries and from Persia, where rice was the staple grain. Unlike North African couscous, Palestinian couscous (Maftoul) is not semolina at all, but rather a toasted mixture of bulgur and flour. The Arab Maghreb Union This article is about the region. ...

See also

Wikibooks Cookbook has an article on

Couscous

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Couscous

• Moroccan cuisine

Image File history File links Wikibooks-logo-en. ... Wikibooks logo Wikibooks, previously called Wikimedia Free Textbook Project and Wikimedia-Textbooks, is a wiki for the creation of books. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Influence and history Being at the crossroads of many civilisations; the cuisine of Morocco has been influenced by the native Berber cuisine, the Arabic Andalusian cuisine, brought by Moors and later Moriscos when they left Spain, the Turkish cuisine from the Turkish occupied Algeria and the Middle Eastern cuisines brought...

External links

• Couscous: about the etymology of the word
• BBC Food Glossary: Couscous
• Encyclopaedia of Food: Couscous New York, USA. Scribner and Sons. 2003, vol. 1, pp. 465-466. (Cuscús)
• Mediterranean and Wold Cuisine: Couscous: History of Couscous by Clifford A. Wright
• Saudi Aramco World article on Couscous : Couscous - The Measure of the Maghrib. Written by Greg Noakes and Laidia Chouat Noakes 1998.
• Magharebia.com: News and Views of the Maghreb article on Couscous: Couscous: Long-Term Maghreb Staple Still Going Strong
• "The March of Couscous" article written by Farid Zadi. Traces how couscous was taken to different countries from its origins in North Africa.
• Couscous DARI - History and origin of Couscous - Couscous recipes: A website from a company that produces and markets Couscous.

Recipes

• Definitive Moroccan step-by-step video for making couscous
• Moroccan step-by-step video podcast for making couscous (copy this link into itunes) to get the video for your ipod
• Algerian Cuisine Cookbook: a blog The author is a chef instructor at The California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu. He was born in Lyon, France to Algerian parents.
• Israeli Couscous
• Recipe for couscous
• Couscous Video Recipe
• Moroccan recipe for couscous
• Seven Vegetable Couscous

References and notes

1. ^ Couscous, dry - NDB No: 20028 United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Retrieved Dec. 18, 2007.
2. ^ SHORT VERSION OF - VERSION MODIFICADA DE: Teresa de Castro, «Couscous», Encyclopaedia of Food. New York, USA. Scribner and Sons. 2003, vol. 1, pp. 465-466. (Cuscús)
3. ^ Roden, C (1996). The Book of Jewish Food. Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 978-039453258-5. 
4. ^ DALLET Jean.-Marie : Dictionnaire kabyle-française, Paris, SELAF, 1982. p. 709.
5. ^ CHAKER, Salem : Couscous : sur l’étymologie du mot
6. ^ FOUCAULD Charles de : Dictionnaire touareg-français, Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1950-52, p. 919
7. ^ Receitas
8. ^ Craig S. Smith (2006-09-20). High in Algeria’s Mountains, a Kingdom of Couscous. New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
9. ^ History of Couscous. Clifford A. Wright 2007. www.CliffordAWright.com: Mediteranian food cooking and recipies.
10. ^ http://www.canadianliving.com/food/cooking_school/discover_couscous.php Canadian Living Magazine: Discovering Couscous