Couscous is a cereal that came to our latitudes from distant North Africa. It is a granules of wet flour, ground with semolina from durum wheat. The first mention of it dates back to the 13th century. Since then, groats have found fans in many countries around the world. Couscous is used to prepare main dishes with meat and vegetables. It is good in combination with fish, in soup and salad. To get used to a rather exotic cuisine, it is worth learning a little more, since cooking couscous at first glance is not very easy.

Couscous: the benefits of using

For several centuries in a row, the preparation of couscous has been the exclusive prerogative of Eastern women. Now the process is universally mechanized, but until now the women of the East, as before, moisten wheat flour, mix it with semolina and methodically grind it into small granules with their own hands. Groats have recently been gaining more and more popularity, because they bring maximum benefits to the body. The benefits of couscous are as follows:

• Potassium contained in cereals strengthens the heart muscle, increases immunity and hemoglobin levels.
• 70% of carbohydrates are high, but their glycemic index is average. Blood sugar rises gradually, with sharp surges. Hence, the possibility of developing diabetes by eating couscous dishes is negligible.
• The high content of phosphorus, vitamin A, copper, iron have a beneficial effect on the state of the body as a whole.
• Dishes made from such cereals do not have an aggravating effect on the stomach and quickly cause a feeling of light satiety.
• It goes well with fish and seafood, meat, vegetables, fruits and milk.

Eat couscous correctly and in moderation, then your body will be saturated with useful substances, and you will get maximum pleasure from the spicy and languid Maghreb cuisine.

Harm of couscous: are there any contraindications?

Like all unfamiliar foods, couscous is controversial over the potential harm from eating. Is there any harm to the body of couscous? So, groats are contraindicated:

• People diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or sugar content above normal.
• Overweight people. The use of such products should be minimized as much as possible.
• People with body intolerance to this cereal.

In all other cases, you can calmly study and taste each couscous recipe and surprise those around you with your deep knowledge of traditional oriental cuisine.

Couscous salad "Jingle of coins"

The name "couscous" was given to the croup by the nomadic Berber tribes living in the Sahara. Translated, it means "the ringing of coins" and symbolizes well-being, prosperity, prosperity. We suggest that you decide to make a hearty and low-calorie salad at home. You will be able to see from your own experience why the Arab countries are so sensitive to couscous. You will need:

• 200 gr. couscous;
• 200 gr. feta cheese;
• 200 gr. cherry tomatoes;
• 1 sweet pepper;
• 10 pieces. green olives;
• a couple of tablespoons of olive oil;
• a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice;
• a teaspoon of salt;
• spices: basil, cumin, mint, cilantro (optional).

At home, the original summer salad is prepared as follows:

1. Pour the couscous into a container. Pour a glass of boiling water, pour over with oil, salt, cover and leave to swell for 20 minutes.
2. Cut the tomatoes and olives in half. Diced pepper and cheese.
3. Add chopped vegetables, olives and cheese to the present cereal. Also toss in chopped herbs, spices, salt and lemon juice.
4. Put on a nice plate and garnish with cilantro.

Kukus with vegetables "Khamsin"

Couscous with vegetables in hospitable oriental houses is served as a side dish for meat. But it looks so appetizing and harmonious in taste that it should be considered as an independent dish. For cooking you need:

• a glass of steamed couscous;
• glass of water;
• a couple of sweet peppers of different colors;
• eggplant;
• a couple of carrots;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• bulb;
• a spoonful of olive oil;
• salt, pepper;
• spices: coriander, dried basil, cumin (optional).

Step-by-step cooking scheme:

1. You do not need to cook couscous. Just add the cereal to the saucepan. Pour boiling water in equal proportions, salt, season with vegetable oil. Cover with a lid and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Cut all vegetables into cubes.
3. Pour oil into a skillet and lower the onion. After a few minutes, send the rest of the vegetables, salt, pepper, add spices and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. As soon as the vegetable gravy reaches, remove from the stove and toss with the present couscous.

Garnish the dish with olives, basil, cilantro and fresh tomatoes. For meat eaters, it is easy to modify the dish. Couscous with chicken is prepared according to the same recipe, only the meat must be fried with gravy.

El-Aziz Couscous Soup

Refreshing soup with a rich taste and aroma of oriental spices. Soup with couscous will give you a pleasant delight at any time of the year. Traditionally prepared with meat, here's an updated recipe for healthy food lovers. If you love meat, then its presence in the soup will not hurt. You will need:

• half a glass of couscous;
• bulb;
• 1 carrot;
• a pound of tomatoes;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 1.5 l. water + 1l. for blanching vegetables;
• a couple of tablespoons of olive oil;
• salt (to taste);
• spices: black pepper, dried mint, cumin, coriander, etc. (optional);
• cilantro for decoration.

Step-by-step cooking instructions:

1. Finely chop the onion, garlic and carrot. Cut the tomatoes with a cross and put them in boiling water for a minute. From boiling water, transfer them to cold water. Peel and cut into cubes.
2. Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour oil on the bottom and dip the onion right there. Simmer over low heat. Add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Top up with hot water, salt and spice as much as you like. Wait until boiling, add cereal and turn off the stove.
4. Cooking the couscous already in the finished dish will take 10 minutes. It will soften and then the soup is ready.

Garnish with herbs and serve. The soup does not lose its taste even when cold.

Tabbouleh with couscous

If you like salads with a lot of lemon juice, then try Tabouleh with Couscous. The dish does not even look delicious and bright. The high content of greens in the composition has a beneficial effect on digestion. You won't regret if you cook it yourself. Necessary:

• half a glass of couscous;
• 4 large bunches of parsley;
• 3 lemons;
• a small bunch of mint;
• 4 medium tomatoes;
• a small bunch of mint;
• half an onion;
• salt (to taste);
• half a glass of good quality olive oil.

An interesting salad is prepared this way:

1. Pour the couscous in a bowl with the juice of one lemon and leave to swell.
2. Finely chop the onion, parsley, tomatoes and mint.
3. Combine everything with cereals, pour oil and juice of the second lemon.
4. Serve on a platter. Serve the third lemon in slices with the salad. Maybe someone will add some more lemon juice.

This salad has a refreshing effect. But for people with high acidity, it is better to refrain from eating, since citric acid is bad for their health.

Buy already steamed cereals in the store, as it is problematic to cook couscous according to the traditional scheme. This requires a special steamer, skill and experience. The semi-finished product does not differ in taste from the usual one, but it significantly shortens the cooking time for original and healthy oriental dishes. Get rid of blood cholesterol deliciously and without exhausting diets. Good luck with your culinary experiments.

Video: Couscous with vegetables at home

This versatile grain product can be compared to a blank canvas on which a talented artist is able to apply a variety of aromas and flavors - from meat or vegetable stews to fresh summer salads. Is there an ideal way to prepare couscous?

Quite often, like many other cereal derivatives, couscous is prepared in small balls from semolina wheat (in the same way as pasta, for example). Couscous is widespread in North Africa. In our stores, you will find couscous, mostly in a quick-cooking form, and if you know how to boil water in a kettle, you can also make couscous. But it is also found in the traditional raw form, and then it can take hours to cook. In the end, both of these methods are easy to find in any description on the manufacturer's packaging.

By itself, couscous can serve as a quick substitute for the same rice or other grains in side dishes. Like rice, it is also often mixed with a great variety of different ingredients for filling vegetables. Couscous cooked in larger balls is sometimes referred to as "Israeli".

As I said, making couscous is no more difficult than brewing a cup of tea, but there are a few secrets to getting it crumbly and fluffy.

Never add too much liquid to the couscous. Remember the simplest rule: exactly the same volume of liquid is added to one volume of couscous.

Do not leave the couscous to steam for too long, otherwise it may turn into a lump in your body. Once the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, it should be gently mixed to separate the grains from each other and make them airy. Before pouring boiling water over the couscous, you can also sprinkle it with olive oil, which will coat each grain with a thin shell and help make the couscous crumbly. The same can be done immediately after steaming - in the process of fluffing up the couscous.

Try to use a fork to fluff up the couscous, as a spoon can cause clumping.

Israeli couscous is not supposed to be airy, however, if you want it to be airy, then boil it like pasta and then add butter to it so that the balls do not stick together.

By and large, couscous is not prepared, and when steamed, the process of rehydration takes place, that is, in other words, it absorbs liquid within 5-15 minutes. First, try this operation with a little couscous. If the couscous has become soft and tender, then it is ready to fluff, and if it is still crispy, it should be kept under the lid for longer.

All you need is a deep, fireproof bowl (or even a saucepan) with a lid.

Various herbs and spices are often added to couscous in order to make it flavorful.

Dry spices can be added to the couscous even at the steaming stage.

After steaming, the couscous can also be mixed with butter and olive oil and lightly sautéed.

Parsley, mint, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, garlic, lemon, olives, chili, pomegranate, almonds and dried fruits are often added to the finished couscous.

Here's the simplest one.

(for four servings of couscous)

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of couscous
• 200 ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 cloves of garlic (peel and crush thoroughly with a knife)
• 1 medium bunch of cilantro (cut into small twigs)
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon (divided into four wedges)
• Salt pepper

Preparation:

1. as recommended in the recipe on our blog.
2. Pour the couscous into a refractory bowl and fill it with ready-made and very hot vegetable broth, adding oregano here. Cover with a lid or foil and let stand for 5-15 minutes, until tender.
3. Then fluff the couscous with a fork.
4. While the couscous is steaming, heat the butter and olive oil in a pan. Fry the garlic over medium heat for about a minute. We add couscous, raisins and herbs here. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand under the lid for 5 minutes.

Couscous, bulgur and quinoa are all the rage right now. They're on restaurant menus, they're on TV cooking programs, they're on store shelves. However, not everyone understands how to cook this exotic. Konstantin Ivlev, restaurant chef Sail, shared with readers site their knowledge of couscous, bulgur and quinoa.

Couscous

Constantine, couscous is what?
This is cereal, like a semolina. From the point of view of culinary imagination, couscous is a real transforming product: it is good for everything, from fruits and vegetables to meat, fish, seafood and even sweets. Personally, I would recommend adding couscous to fish soup, vegetable soup, or lamb soup. I would also pair it with turkey or chicken.

In what ways can you make couscous?
Boil the couscous with boiling water, close and let it brew. When the cereal is steamed, grease your hands with oil and begin to loosen it to make it crumbly. The second method is when the couscous is boiled for 1-2 minutes and served or cooked further with some kind of additives. You can pour couscous with cold water and boiling water. The ratio of water to cereal is usually indicated on the package. Personally, I pour enough water to cover the couscous by a centimeter.

Many people complain that the couscous is bland ...
If fresh, add salt. And I also advise you to add butter, as in any porridge. Then the couscous tastes crazy!

What to do with couscous as a side dish?
It is necessary to steam the couscous, and then add a little grated Parmesan and finely chopped tomatoes. Ideally! An excellent side dish for any kind of meat, fish or seafood. All types of fish are combined with couscous. And if you look in general at the countries where it is used in cooking, then in Spain, for example, everything is combined with it, even pork.

What vegetables do you recommend adding to couscous?
Vegetables are best added fresh or grilled. Eggplant, carrots, asparagus, beans - Kenyan or green beans, peas are suitable for couscous. The best option is onions, zucchini, zucchini. And even potatoes, if, for example, bake them with rosemary and garlic, then chop and mix with couscous.

What spices and herbs to add to couscous?
Thyme, thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil. It is absolutely crazy to pair with mint, especially when couscous with fish or fruit is cooked. If you cook with pork, I recommend sage as it breaks down fat. Personally, I like to add thyme and a whole clove of garlic, lightly crushed. The taste is spicy with an unusual spicy aroma.

How to cook dried fruit couscous?
First, boil the couscous, pouring hot water, let stand and loosen with butter. At this time, dry fruits - dried apricots, dried cranberries and figs - pour boiling water over. Stir couscous with dried fruits and be sure to add mint and nuts - roasted cashews or roasted peanuts. At the end, as garlic is put on pilaf, put lime and bake. Lime will give freshness, aroma and slight sourness. Warm dried fruits will give a bright, sweet taste, and nuts will add zest.

Any foods you shouldn't add to couscous?
Tarragon is categorically not suitable for couscous, it is bright, sweet, and at the same time sour.

Bulgur

Another fashionable cereal we have is bulgur.
So far, Bulgur is not very well known here, but the groats are interesting. It is most common in Asia. Essentially, bulgur is wheat. Steamed, partially peeled and crushed. There are three flavor components in bulgur: couscous, millet and pearl barley.

What to cook with bulgur?
Groats are universal for soups and main courses. In terms of texture and taste, it goes well with black cod, Chilean sea bass, halibut, meat - with lamb.

Do bulgur, like couscous, need to be steamed?
It is better to soak it, like beans or barley: pour cold water to shorten the cooking time and so that the gluten opens correctly, otherwise the bulgur will turn into porridge. Season with salt and then cook for 25 to 40 minutes.

And if you cook bulgur as an independent dish?
In this case, bulgur should be made in the style of risotto, in chicken broth, with garlic and thyme. Finally add salt, a little olive oil and butter. For freshness, color and texture contrast, green peas can be added. In the style of bulgur risotto, it will take about 25-30 minutes to cook.

Is bulgur in soup good?
It is better to add bulgur to “heavy” soup to reveal and emphasize its taste. I would recommend adding it to goulash style soup. But it is better to use less tomato paste and paprika, Bulgur does not like them very much.

And with what vegetables it is better to combine it, and what spices to choose?
You can make bulgur with tomatoes or cucumbers. Bell peppers are also good. You can make a fresh vegetable salad with bulgur. Spices include thyme, rosemary, marjoram, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and cloves. In principle, the same spices are suitable here as for couscous. But I do not recommend adding tarragon to bulgur.

What is contraindicated for bulguru?
Beets and cabbage do not go with bulgur. Egg and potatoes. And, of course, Bulgur refuses dried fruits.

Quinoa

Why do you love quinoa?
Quinoa has a nutty flavor with a slight fresh herb aroma. Sheer joy for vegetarians, losing weight and fasting. In terms of composition, this cereal of the ancient Incas is rich in vitamins, proteins, amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids. An alternative to rice, bulgur and couscous in soups, salads and side dishes.

How to cook quinoa?
Boil like rice or buckwheat for 15-20 minutes. For one part of quinoa, take two parts of water or broth, meat or vegetable. Before cooking, it would be good to rinse with cold water so that it tastes less bitter. There is no need to add salt: the cereal itself is salty. When cooked, mix well with a fork. The main thing is not to digest it into a messy porridge. You can also cook quinoa like a risotto - first fry in oil for a couple of minutes in a skillet and then simmer.

What foods do you recommend combining quinoa with?
Of vegetables, I would prefer fried eggplants, bell peppers, zucchini, onions and leeks. Plus tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, asparagus, carrots, corn, celery stalk, green peas, fresh cucumbers and radishes. From legumes - chickpeas and beans. Quail, chicken and turkey are suitable, as well as mushrooms. And seafood - mussels, squid, shrimp.

What to season with?
Thyme, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, green onions, garlic, lime. From spices - caraway seeds, turmeric, chili.

What original can be made from quinoa?
Here sweet options for dishes will be good - puddings, cereals, desserts. For example, this recipe: rinse a glass of quinoa with water, then pour in two glasses of milk, add sugar to taste and cook. Then cool and lay out in layers, alternating with apple or plum marmalade in tall glasses, cool well in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours and serve.

Hello friends!

In this article, let's talk about couscous.

Recently, they have been discussing a lot and writing about him.

Let's figure out what kind of cereal it is, how it turns out, what is its use, how to choose it correctly and how to cook it.

In this article, you will learn:

Couscous - useful properties and recipes

What is couscous?

Couscous is a wheat groat that serves as the basis for the eponymous dish of Maghreb or Berber origin. Historically, couscous was made from millet. Nowadays, the most common couscous is made from semolina obtained from durum wheat. Wikipedia

Who should assign the invention of such a popular nowadays cereal couscous, the inhabitants of African villages or the Arabs, is still not known exactly.

Although, most likely, the more developed nations simply borrowed the method of preparing a surprisingly tasty and nutritious porridge from the savages' millet always at hand.

The first mentions of this dish are found in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

The method of preparation is described as grinding millet into flour, then kneading a tough dough from it with the addition of water, and then grinding it into grains with a sieve and drying them in the sun.

This work is quite laborious and today is already fully automated, but in some countries to this day only manual production of cereals is recognized and only the fair sex is engaged in this.

It is believed that self-made cereals are more useful, but this fact has not been scientifically proven. These two types of ready-made cereals also do not differ in taste.

The only differences are the type of granules (it is clear that with manual work they are more uneven) and the price (again, with manual production, it is several times higher).

What are the benefits of couscous groats?

This is not to say that couscous is wildly popular in our country.

Yes, they pay attention to it, some have already bought and prepared it, but nevertheless, packages often remain in supermarkets.

Why it happens?

Yes, to some extent, the high price stops, but most likely, the main reason is the lack of awareness of the benefits of the product and the need to use it in a healthy diet for every family.

Often, couscous is called a vitamin cocktail, and indeed the composition of the cereal is simply overflowing with substances useful for the human body:

1. The main advantage is the B vitamins, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and the timely renewal of its cells.
2. Also noteworthy are copper, phosphorus, potassium and selenium, which are required for hematopoiesis, for the full functioning of the heart and blood vessels, for the tone of the whole body, for efficiency and good mood.
3. It should be noted that these substances are perfectly absorbed by the body, and not just pass through it, as when using most other products.
4. The regular presence of couscous in the menu ensures a normal metabolism, significantly increases immunity, strengthens bone tissue, lowers blood cholesterol levels, and regulates sugar content.
5. They also love cereals for their nutritional value. You can get enough even with a small portion.

It is primarily recommended to use cereals in your diet for athletes and people whose vital activity is associated with great physical exertion.

It saturates for a long time, ensures the supply of the necessary substances.

It will not hurt to use the ability of porridge for people who have problems with metabolism and the work of the digestive tract.

It should be understood that losing weight on couscous is unlikely to work. Yes, cleansing occurs and is quite active, so if excess weight was the cause of metabolic disorders, then the figure will become more accurate, but the high calorie content of the product should be taken into account.

Nutritionists, of course, advise eating a ready-made dish in small portions, but, as practice shows, few people adhere to this advice. After all, everyone knows that you need to chew food for at least a minute and get up from the table half-starved.

But who observes this rule? So it is with the portions of couscous. It is unlikely that someone will be able to gorge themselves on two tablespoons of porridge, so those who are prone to obesity should use it as little as possible.

The use of couscous has a good effect on the appearance, namely on the skin, hair and nails, helps to normalize water balance, prevents anemia, strengthens bones, supports kidney function, regulates blood sugar levels, and significantly reduces the amount of bad cholesterol.

Couscous slows down the natural aging process, relieves insomnia, and increases efficiency.

Slimming couscous

I would like to dwell on this point in more detail.

Earlier we said that those who are prone to obesity should eat it in limited quantities, but at the same time there are many pros to use it in the diet of those who are losing weight.

1. First, it must be recognized as a fact of the magnificent cleansing. Considering that by the age of 35 a person can accumulate up to 25 kg of fecal stones in the large intestine, then using porridge is an excellent way to get rid of them, and gradually and without feeling discomfort.
2. The second undoubted advantage for normalizing weight is putting in order the metabolism.

Saturation should also be noted for a long time, but this is not the main thing. Couscous contains slow carbohydrates.

They contribute to a more efficient breakdown of existing fatty deposits, and also ensure better absorption of nutrients by the body from other foods.

Of course, if you cook porridge with butter, and serve it with fat milk and a piece of juicy and incredibly appetizing steak, you won't be able to lose weight with couscous.

But with a reasonable approach to the composition of the diet, with a sufficient content of vegetables and fruits in it, with the use of porridge only once a day, this is quite possible.

Who is contraindicated to eat couscous?

They say that good and bad always go hand in hand. This also applies to couscous. Alas, there is no perfect product in the world.

• The first thing to look out for is the high gluten content.

It is due to this sticky substance that it turns out to create couscous granules and ensure their long-term retention of their shape.

To some extent, it is a preservative that, as it were, seals the product, leaving all its benefits inside, but at the same time, it can cause enormous harm to the body and cause not only serious diseases, but even death.

Previously, this problem was not given sufficient attention and it was believed that the use is prohibited only by those with individual intolerance.

A couple of years ago, there was evidence that no more than 1% of the world's population suffered from this.

But today, to our great regret, there are more and more such people, and, moreover, the majority do not even suspect about it.

Medical experts say that every 3-5 people have a gluten intolerance.

Thus, porridge categorically cannot be used in the diet of children under one year old, the elderly, and if, after keeping it on the menu, nausea, vomiting, increased flatulence are observed, you should immediately exclude it from the menu and visit a doctor.

• Also, those suffering from diabetes should refuse cereals.

Rather, before cooking couscous, you should know that you can eat it only without using additional ingredients.

And since without them the porridge turns out to be generally insipid and tasteless, not everyone will like it.

How to make couscous and what can you make from it?

Couscous has long been successfully used in cooking.

It is used for sweet and savory dishes.

Many chefs call it a transformer for the fact that it is amazingly combined with any product at all.

Porridge is prepared with vegetables and fruits, fish, meat, mushrooms, seafood, etc.

Couscous with zucchini is perfect.

Of the spices, the choice should be stopped on marjoram and basil, you can also use thyme and oregano, but tarragon should be categorically excluded.

Most often, couscous is served in the form of pilaf, but salads and various snacks made from it are no less tasty. You can also use it for first courses.

The undoubted delight of porridge in almost instant cooking. You just need to pour boiling water over it, let it brew and that's it! You can eat.

However, today it is believed that it is more beneficial to steam.

Moreover, by placing couscous, meat and vegetables at different levels of the steamer, it will turn out to prepare a very aromatic and tasty dish with minimal use of spices.

It is interesting! It is known that African peoples have a special device for making couscous. It looks like a multi-layer structure, on different tiers of which different products are located. Such a prototype of our steamer.

Proven Couscous Recipes

Consider a few proven homemade couscous recipes:

• Pepper stuffed with couscous and mushrooms

Salt 150 g of couscous and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 5 minutes under a closed lid.

Pour boiling water over two tomatoes, remove the skin and finely chop the pulp.

Peel the mushrooms, chop, fry with onions in a pan, add the tomato mass to them, salt and pepper, mix with couscous.

The proportions are about the same.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, add a little fresh herbs. Fill the peeled bell peppers with the resulting mass.

Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle with grated cheese on top. Bake for about half an hour.

The preparation of this dish is reminiscent of the recipe using rice, and indeed, couscous can be used in almost all dishes instead.

• Couscous with dried fruits

Pour 100 g of cereal with boiling water, leave for 5 minutes.

During this time, prepare dried fruits.

They must be rinsed, filled with warm water, then squeezed out and finely chopped.

Stir the couscous so that it becomes crumbly, add dried fruits (approximately half proportions), mix, sprinkle the resulting mass with lemon juice, you can mix it with natural yogurt or add a little natural honey.

• Couscous with fish and vegetables

This dish turns out to be incredibly juicy and aromatic.

The whole secret is that it is prepared in parchment bags.

They can be bought ready-made, or you can do it yourself.

Per kilogram of fish fillet, about 300 grams of cereal, one small zucchini, a couple of onions, bell peppers and tomatoes are taken.

Peel and wash vegetables. Chop, mix with couscous, season with salt and pepper.

Put in a bag, place a piece of fish on top, previously grated with salt and spices. Close the bag and put in the oven for half an hour.

Serve in the same bag so that aromas and juice do not evaporate.

Bulgur and couscous main differences

Another exotic grain is bulgur. They are often confused with couscous, and to avoid this, consider the main differences.

• Bulgur:

1. There are three types, or rather grindings: medium, large and whole. In appearance, it resembles a chaff or wheat, only with a golden tint.
2. When finished, it has a pleasant nutty shade. The taste is very similar to pearl barley with the addition of butter, the texture is delicate and pleasant.
3. Wheat grains are steamed and crushed. If you use sprouts, then the benefits will be several times greater.
4. Fried in a pan without adding oil, and then steamed in broth or milk until tender.

• Couscous:

1. Has an almost regular round shape and granules of approximately the same size. Diameter about 0.2cm
2. It tastes like tiny cooked macaroons. The cereal itself is insipid, has no taste.
3. Wheat is ground into flour, sprinkled with salt water, mixed into dough and ground until granules are approximately the same size.
4. Prepares in minutes after pouring boiling water or steaming.

Now you know that couscous takes up space on supermarket shelves for a reason.

Use a healthy product, taking into account all the proposed recommendations, and you can make your diet not only varied, but also very useful.

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Alena Yasneva was with you, bye everyone!

This name hides just cereals obtained from durum wheat grains. Outwardly, it looks a bit like barley, but in composition it has something in common with rice. Like other cereals, couscous is used as a garnish for vegetables or meat. Although often even fruit is cooked with it. From the instructions in the photo below, you will find out what couscous is eaten with and what is the benefit of it.

What is couscous

You also don't know about couscous - what is this product? Initially, millet had this name. Couscous was prepared from this raw material. Then, in production, they gradually began to use wheat of soft and hard varieties. Bulgur groats are similar in production technology. Only in it the wheat grains retain the shell with the embryo. For cous-cous, they gradually began to use other raw materials. Cooking cereals is not difficult.

What is couscous made of today? For the production of this cereal, they take semolina, which is then sprayed with water. The result is small grains. Then they are sprinkled with wheat flour, then again with semolina, and then sifted through a sieve. This is how the smallest particles are removed. Only grains with a diameter of 1 to 2 mm remain. In addition to semolina, barley, millet, millet or rice are also used.

How is couscous useful? The product is included in the diet for diabetes. Although you should not abuse it either, otherwise the cereal will only bring harm, because it affects the glucose level. For the rest, eating such a product, you can notice an improvement in the condition of hair and skin, joints, and even strengthening of immunity. For weight loss, cereal is not quite suitable, because it has a high energy value. The calorie content is 376 kcal per 100 g. Although if you eat cereals in the morning, you can get enough for the whole day. The number of calories also varies depending on the additional ingredients.

How to cook couscous

There are many options for how to prepare a side dish or a stand-alone couscous dish. In traditional Arabic recipes, cereals are steamed in an earthen vessel. At home, use a multicooker, saucepan, electric or regular steamer. In the latter case, instructions on how to cook couscous include the following steps:

1. The groats are lightly sprinkled with vegetable oil, rubbed with hands, adding a little water.
2. Water or vegetable or meat broth is poured down the steamers. Then put on fire.
3. The groats are moved to the upper section of the device and placed on the lower one.
4. Then they are steamed without a lid for about a quarter of an hour from the moment the water boils.
5. At the end, transfer to another container, loosen with a fork, sprinkle with water.

Couscous recipes

In almost all recipes, this unusual cereal is a side dish. It goes well with seafood, meat, vegetables and fish. In addition to main courses, such cereals are also suitable for sweets. You can add grapes, honey, sugar, nuts or dried fruits to it. This delicacy even has a special name - "masfuf". It is also used in soups or added to salads.

Couscous with chicken

One of the traditional dishes in Tunisia or Morocco is couscous with chicken and vegetables. Almost any tourist who has visited these countries has tried a similar dish. It resembles regular chicken and rice, but there are still some flavor differences. In addition, the couscous dish is much more satisfying and nutritious. Instructions on how to prepare such a delicacy are presented in the recipe with the photo below.

Ingredients:

• carrots - 1 pc.;
• chickpeas - 0.5 tbsp.;
• celery, parsley root - 50 g;
• water - 4 tbsp.;
• chicken legs - 400 g;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• couscous - 1 tbsp.;
• pepper, salt, bay leaf - to taste;
• butter - 60 g.

Cooking method:

1. Pre-soak chickpeas, leave overnight.
2. Boil the chicken by placing it in cold water. After boiling, reduce heat and simmer for half an hour.
3. Rinse carrots with herbs, cut into small cubes, send to chicken.
4. Season with salt, pepper and bay leaves. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Next, throw in the chickpeas. Cook for an hour until tender.
6. Then pour the broth into a separate container, set aside the bay leaf and chicken, and fry the vegetables in butter along with chopped onions.
7. Pour the broth into a saucepan, add pepper and salt, after boiling, add the couscous, and then immediately remove from the heat and stir.
8. Then put it back on the stove, darken with a little butter. When it melts, put the cereal on a plate.
9. Place vegetable frying on top, and after it - chicken.

One of the classic recipes is couscous with vegetables. This dish is served in many restaurants. It has a special nutritional value, but at the same time it is vegetarian, because meat is not included in the list of products. With such cereals, deliciously different vegetables are obtained - eggplants, pumpkin, tomatoes, bell peppers. Cooking will not take long, even if you are a beginner cook.

Ingredients:

• onions, zucchini, bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• couscous - 150 g;
• water - 250 ml;
• pumpkin pulp - 200 g;
• vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons;
• spices, salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the vegetables, peel off seeds and tails, then chop into cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry vegetables on it.
3. Take a saucepan, boil water, lightly salt and add 1 tbsp. oils. Steam the cereal with it, leave under the lid for 10 minutes.
4. Combine vegetables with couscous, stir.

Couscous salad

Salad with couscous turns out to be no less appetizing and satisfying. The peculiarity of the dish is that you can serve not only cold. In a warm form, the appetizer is even more interesting. In addition, it can be an excellent side dish for meat. Although such a salad is also used as an independent appetizer. This cereal is delicious with many vegetables. The recipe with the photo below shows a better combination.

Ingredients:

• meat or vegetable broth - 150 ml;
• cilantro or parsley - 2 bunches;
• couscous - 100 g;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• eggplant - 2 pcs.;
• spices, vinegar, salt - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the broth, pour over the cereal, leave to brew.
2. Wash the eggplants, peel them off, cut into slices, then fry in oil.
3. Chop the garlic, combine with chopped parsley or cilantro, season them with spices, vinegar and salt, grind well.
4. Mix eggplants with steamed cereals, season with garlic sauce.

Couscous in a slow cooker

Any dish becomes simple if you use a multicooker for cooking. Redmond, Philips, Polaris - no matter what brand of device, because each has a suitable program. This can be the mode "Stewing", "Multi-cook", "Baking". Any program will help you cook couscous in a slow cooker. This time the dish will be sweet with the addition of dried fruits.

Ingredients:

• carrots - 1 pc.;
• dry couscous - 200 g;
• water - 2 tbsp.;
• butter - 50 g;
• raisins - 50 g;
• prunes - 50 g;
• dried apricots - 50 g.

Cooking method:

1. Place butter at the bottom of the multicooker bowl, melt the product using the "Baking" mode.
2. Next, grind the carrots, fry them for a quarter of an hour, then add soaked dried fruits, mix.
3. Then add cereal, pour water.
4. Simmer under the lid, setting the timer for 20 minutes.
5. Serve with a lump of butter.

Couscous with milk

A traditional dish made from any cereal is porridge. It is delicious with milk. Couscous porridge is cooked in almost the same way as semolina. The only condition is to observe the proportions of cereals and milk. They can be changed depending on the desired thickness of the porridge. If you want to get not too liquid, then bark it a little. Sugar and butter are also added to taste.

Ingredients:

• milk - 1.25 l;
• butter, sugar, salt - to taste;
• couscous - 1 tbsp.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the milk, add salt, sugar, a little butter.
2. Then add cereal, stir. After boiling, leave the milk porridge under the lid for 10 minutes.
3. Stir again.

Video: how to cook couscous for a side dish