Steamed Couscous The Authentic Way Recipes

STEAMED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place couscous in a fine strainer and rinse under cold running water. Dump couscous onto a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt, and let stand until grains swell, about 10 minutes. Break up lumps with your fingers.
• Partially fill a large steamer pot or stockpot with 1-inch water. Bring water to simmer. Place damp tea towel in steamer or colander and add couscous. Fold towel over couscous. Steam, covered, over simmering water for 15 minutes.
• Pour couscous onto large, rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cold water. Toss with slotted spatula until cool and the water is absorbed. Spritz hands with olive oil and spread out couscous, breaking up any lumps as you go. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Refill pot with enough water to make 1-inch again. Return couscous to colander or steamer and steam, covered, for 10 minutes.

RECONSTITUTED STEAMED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place the couscous in a bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt (preferably kosher salt) per cup of couscous and mix together. Combine 1/2 to 1 cup of broth from the stew you plan to serve with the couscous with enough warm water to cover the couscous by about 1/2 inch. Let sit for 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Stir every five minutes with a wooden spoon, or rub the couscous between your moistened thumbs and fingers so that it doesn't lump. The couscous will now be fairly soft; fluff it with a fork or with your hands. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, rubbing the couscous between your fingers to distribute the oil throughout. Have the stew at a simmer. Line a colander, sieve or the top part of a couscoussier (a special pot for couscous) with a single layer of cheesecloth, and place the couscous in it. Set it over the stew, making sure that the bottom of the colander does not touch the liquid (remove some of the liquid if it does). Wrap a towel between the edge of the colander and the pot if there is a space, so that steam doesn't escape. Steam 20 to 30 minutes. The couscous should be fluffy, the grains dry and separate, not al dente and not mushy.

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!

CLASSIC STEAMED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups chicken stock, olive oil, saffron, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve salt. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to infuse saffron flavor.
• Fill the bottom of a couscoussier half-full with water. Add carrots, onions, celery, and parsley; bring to a simmer.
• Place the couscous in a very large glass bowl; pour the infused stock over couscous, straining to remove saffron, if desired. Let couscous absorb the liquid, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Scoop up some of the couscous and rub it with your fingers to separate any lumps, letting it fall back into the bowl. Repeat process until no lumps remain.
• Meanwhile, increase heat under couscoussier to bring water to a gentle boil; add more water if needed to maintain level.
• Transfer couscous to a steamer basket set over a plate to catch any grains (returning them to the basket if they do). Run fingers lightly over top to make sure couscous is evenly distributed; set steamer basket over gently boiling water in couscoussier. If necessary, carefully wrap a large piece of plastic wrap around the rim of bottom pot to keep steam from escaping. Once couscous begins to steam, steam for 30 minutes.
• Carefully remove plastic wrap, if using, and then steamer basket, pulling toward you so you do not get burned by escaping steam. Spread couscous on a terra-cotta tray or in a bowl and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Meanwhile, add enough water to bottom of the couscoussier to bring its level back to the halfway point. Return to a boil. Clean and dry the steamer basket, discarding any couscous that stuck to it.
• Repeat process in step 4 to separate couscous. When couscous returns to room temperature, transfer couscous to cleaned steamer basket; add plastic wrap, if needed, and steam until tender and appears sweaty, 15 to 30 minutes. Spread couscous out on tray or in bowl and let cool.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock in a clean spray bottle or small bowl. Return couscous to steamer basket; set over couscoussier; bring to a gentle boil. Immediately begin to add remaining stock, spraying couscous 15 to 20 times or drizzling with about 2 tablespoons over grains. Continue adding stock and stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Transfer couscous to tray or bowl. It should have doubled in size to about 6 cups.

COOKING COUSCOUS: STEAMING TRADITIONAL COUSCOUS

Steps:

• The grain must cook only in the steam. It must not touch the broth throughout the steaming. The couscoussier, the pot traditionally used, is made of glazed earthenware or tinned copper, and, more recently, of aluminum or stainless steel, and has two parts-the bottom is a large round pot in which the stew is cooked, the top consists of a colander to hold the couscous. If you cannot get an authentic couscoussier, you can improvise with a metal colander with small holes that fits snugly over a large pan. It is important that steam can escape only from the top, so seal the join with a band of wet cloth (it is most effective if the wet cloth is steeped in a flour-and-water paste) or with aluminum foil.
• When the stew in the bottom part of the couscoussier is well on the way (about 1 hour before the end of cooking), start preparing the grain. Wash 3 cups couscous in plenty of water and drain in a sieve. Put in a wide bowl and let the grain absorb the moisture for 10 minutes. Then rub between your hands to break up any lumps and to air the grain. Turn it into the sieve part of the couscoussier, sprinkling the grain lightly in layers and not pressing it down. Do not cover the sieve with a lid. After the couscous begins to give off steam, continue to steam for 15 minutes.
• Now turn the couscous out back into the bowl. Sprinkle 1 cup of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon salt over the couscous, then turn and rake the grain with a serving spoon, and, when it is cool enough to handle, rub it between the palms of your hands to break up any lumps and separate and air the grains. The water will make the grains swell. Leave the couscous for 10 minutes, then sprinkle on more water (about 1 cup), until it becomes swollen and tender. Return to the top of the couscoussier, and when the steam emerges, let it steam for a further 10 minutes.
• Turn out the couscous again. Rub 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in with your hands, and air the grain again. Steam a third time, for 5 minutes. (This can be done much later, just before serving.)
• Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces.
• The grain can also be steamed over boiling water.