Couscous is a romantic food for me, something eaten far away where life is more interesting and exotic, and where cooking creates irresistible smells of spices that mingle with an unknown language and warm night air. I have never been to Morocco so it is easy for me to imagine that their food is like a rich tapestry, with flavors intermingling to create a beautiful whole, perhaps it is.
The Maghreb, or North African’s culinary culture holds its roots from the original occupants of North Africa, the Berbers. The Berbers developed couscous from durum wheat semolina, developing a way of drying the pasta grains, which some say is a precursor of the Italian pasta of today. It is a versatile staple, which can be used for savory as well as sweet dishes. The traditional method of making couscous is steaming it over the stew, or tagine, so the aromas of the stew become infused into it. It is found throughout the Maghreb, Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia.
The Berbers are of mixed ancestry, with a sizable element in their gene pool traced to European heritage, from ancient migration as well as the transfer of slaves and prisoners in the pirate infested seas. When the Arabs invaded North Africa in the 7th century they also left their genetic, cultural and culinary imprint. Although couscous is often linked only to North Africa, it is also an important staple of Sicily where it was introduced by the Arabs in the 9th century. Here is a recipe which I learned from a Turkish women who in turn was taught by her Moroccan mother-in-law.
Sprinkle a cup full of semolina, in wide platter, sprinkle water, rake with open fingers but do not rake too much otherwise the couscous will start to clump. Add a tablespoon of fine semolina flour (duram flour or pasta flour) and add more semolina and sprinkle with water, raking continuously. If the semolina begins to form large clumps, add more semolina, ½ cup at a time and rake with your hands. Repeat until all semolina is finished, for 1 kg of couscous add about ¼ cup oil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt for every 1 cup of semolina. Once all of the semolina has been raked use a couscous sifter to obtain a uniform size, using the palm of your hand gently push the couscous through.
The semolina should be moist not clumpy or soupy, there should not be any dry particles left, if yes add a little water. If too much water is added and it becomes soupy, don’t rake, let dry until your hand can rake particles easily and they separate. When using semolina to make couscous, it is easier to produce a finer result if it is spread thinly while raking.
For steaming it is convenient to place a cheese cloth in the couscousier for easier transfer (A nice tip from Clifford Wright). Add the couscous on to the cheese cloth leaving the sides of the cloth free to lift. Close the lid hermetically, using a dough rope. After first steaming of 45-60 minutes remove couscous to a basin using the cheesecloth and wait until it cools. Add water bit by bit until semolina absorbs it, raking quickly but in short intervals to avoid clumping. Steam for 20 min, covered. Repeat again and then remove from heat.
For an interesting look at the history of couscous:
http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.php/id/34/
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We here love couscous too! Thank you for the information and the link on history too!
I am glad you enjoyed the post!