Brahims Desert Couscous Recipes

SWEET COUSCOUS- AN EASY DESSERT

Steps:

• In a medium pot, add water and 1 Tbs of butter and bring to a boil.
• Add couscous and continue boiling for 1 minutes.
• Cover and remove from heat, let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Fluff couscous lightly with a fork, add 1/4 c of powdered sugar and the remaining butter and continue fluffing until all are incorporated.
• *Top with nuts, raisins, dried cranberry, coconut flakes and more powdered sugar.

MARILU'S COUS COUS DESSERT

Steps:

• Place the cooked cous cous, butter, sugar, pine nuts, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, and water in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover the bowl and let rest for at least 1/2 an hour. Butter a ramekin to prevent sticking. Firmly pack some cous cous mixture in the ramekin and invert onto an individual dessert plate, so that the form of the cous cous is released from the ramekin. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Repeat for other individual plates and serve.
• For the dough: Cous cous is cooked in a special double boiler called a couscousiera. A makeshift couscousiera can be made by placing a colander over a similar-size pot and sealing the two together with simple dough to prevent steam from escaping. To make the dough: Combine 1 cup flour with enough water to create dough. Roll the dough into a long rope and use as a seal.
• For the cous cous: Place half the durum wheat in a large bowl. Add splashes of water, salt, cinnamon, and extra-virgin olive oil, while stirring/raking the durum wheat in a circular motion with your hand. You should use approximately 1/2 the quantities of water, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil at this point. Continue working in a circular motion, constantly stirring to moisten the grains evenly. Rub the mixture between your hands to remove any lumps that may form. If the mixture becomes too wet, add some more durum wheat, if it becomes too dry, add some more water. The mixture should form into small pellets. If you have not achieved small pellets, rub and rake some more.
• Add the remaining durum wheat, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil and repeat the process above. Transfer the cous cous to a colander and embed the zest of 1 lemon in the cous cous. Rest the colander over a pot of boiling water. Let the cous cous steam for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with seafood, stewed meats and/or vegetables, or use as a base for Marilu's cous cous dessert recipe follows.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the raisins, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the couscous to the saucepan, along with the 2 cups of boiling water and the salt. Stir once with a fork, cover tightly, and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir with a fork before serving to fluff the couscous and combine the other ingredients. (This recipe can be made up to a day ahead and reheated over very low heat or in a microwave oven.)

INDIAN CURRY COUSCOUS WITH BROCCOLI AND EDAMAME

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add couscous and reduce heat to medium; simmer until broth is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Heat canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ajowan seeds.
• When seeds begin to sputter, stir in garlic and reduce heat to medium.
• Stir turmeric, curry powder, hing powder, chili powder, and cinnamon into the garlic mixture until garlic is browned, about 3 minutes.
• Cook and stir edamame and broccoli in the spice mixture until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Drizzle sesame oil atop vegetables.
• Spoon vegetables over couscous to serve.

CINNAMON ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add couscous and stir until light brown.
• Add water, bouillon, cinnamon, garam masala, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cranberries, broccoli, and almonds, and allow to steam under the lid until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.