Cous Cous Preparation and Recipes

Cous cous is a type of pasta that originates from North Africa. Instead of being haped like noodles or other pasta, cous cous is granular – smaller than a grain of rice. One of the best things about cous cous is its versatility. Once you master the basic recipe for preparing cous cous, you can add any number of spices and vegetables to the past to create many dishes. Cous cous is also a great under vegetable and meat stews. Most cous cous found in Western supermarkets is known as “instant.” It’s quick and easy to prepare. You simply add the cous cous to a boiling liquid at a 1:2/3 ratio, remove the pasta from heat, cover it tightly and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the liquid is absorbed, fluff the pasta with a fork and serve. Varying the ratio of liquid to cous cous will change the dryness of wetness of the pasta. Water can be used for the liquid, but using a broth adds much more flavor. Use vegetables, spices and herbs to flavor cous cous. Before preparing the cous cous, cook desired spices in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil to bring out the flavors. Saute any vegetables or toast nuts before adding to the cous cous. Dried herbs should be added to the liquid so they have a chance to rehydrate.

Recipe 1
Basic cous cous (for use under stew):
2/3 cup of stock (vegetable, chicken or beef)
1 cup of cous cous

In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add cous cous, stir and immediately remove from heat. Cover saucepan tightly and let pasta sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the stock is absorbed. Fluff cous cous with a fork before serving. This basic recipe is great to serve under a thick stew.

Recipe 2
Toasted pine nut cous cous:
1-2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
pine nuts
minced garlic
diced mushrooms
onion powder
2/3 cup stock
1 cup cous cous
salt to taste

Heat oil in bottom of small saucepan. Add pine nuts, garlic, mushrooms and onion powder. Cook until pine nuts turn light brown. Do not over cook nuts or garlic. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add cous cous, stir and immediately remove from heat. Cover saucepan tightly and let pasta sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the stock is absorbed. Fluff cous cous with a fork before serving.

Recipe 3
Cous Cous with curry:
½ tsp. tumeric
½ tsp. curry
1/8 cup diced carrots
1/8 cup peas
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
lentils (optional)
1 tsp. parsley
1 cup cous cous
2/3 cup stock

In a small saucepan, bring stock, spices and vegetables to a boil. Add cous cous, stir and immediately remove from heat. Cover saucepan tightly and let pasta sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the stock is absorbed. Fluff cous cous with a fork before serving.

Recipe 4
Cold cous cous salad (taboulleh variation)
1-2 diced tomatoes
3 chopped green onion
¼ cup parsley
1/8 cup mint (optional)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. fresh cracked pepper (or to taste)
salt to taste
1 cup cous cous
2/3 cup stock
Prepare basic cous cous. Add remaining ingredients, mix and refrigerate until chilled. Toss before serving.

Recipe 5
Italian cous cous
(Note: quantity of herbs vary according to taste, all herbs optional)
Basil
Oregano
Thyme
Garlic
Black pepper
Diced tomato (fresh or roasted preferred, but canned tomatoes can be used)
Olives (optional)
Couple tsps. olive oil
2/3 cup stock
1 cup cous cous

In a small saucepan, cook pepper, garlic and tomato with half the olive oil. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add spices, then cous cous, stir and immediately remove from heat. Cover saucepan tightly and let pasta sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the stock is absorbed. Fluff cous cous with a fork before serving.