How to cook couscous porridge. Couscous - what is it, how is it prepared and how is it eaten? Couscous with legumes

Hello friends! In this article, let's talk about couscous.

Lately, they have been discussing it a lot and writing about it.

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 it 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).

Why is couscous grits useful?

It cannot be said that couscous is wildly popular in our country.

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

Why it happens?

Yes, the high price stops to some extent, 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.

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

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.
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.
It should be noted that these substances are perfectly absorbed by the body, and not just pass through it, as with most other products.
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.
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 necessary substances.

It will not hurt to use the ability of porridge for people with 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 the finished dish in small portions, but, as practice shows, few people follow 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 improves performance.

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.

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.
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 adhesive substance that it turns out to create couscous granules and ensure their long-term retention of 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 who have 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 most of them are not even aware of it.

Medical experts say that every 3-5 people have 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, there is nausea, vomiting, increased flatulence, you should immediately exclude it from the menu and visit a doctor.

Also, people who suffer 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 bland and tasteless, not everyone will like it.

How to cook 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 ideal.

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 equally tasty. You can also use it for first courses.

The undoubted beauty of porridge in almost instant cooking. It is enough just 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 recipes with couscous

Consider a few proven homemade couscous recipes:

Peppers 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, season with 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 a 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 washed, filled with warm water, then squeezed 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 the 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:

There are three types, or rather grindings: medium, large and whole. In appearance it resembles a chaff or wheat, only with a golden tint.
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.
Wheat grains are steamed and crushed. If you use sprouts, then the benefits will be several times greater.
Fried in a pan without adding oil, and then steamed in broth or milk until tender.

Couscous:

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

Now you know that couscous does not just take up space on supermarket shelves.

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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photo @ RoyBuri

Another educational material. Only cooking two varieties of couscous and demonstration of its serving. This product is very versatile and gives us many interesting culinary uses.

You can get a detailed description of the product itself in the article about couscous in the "Encyclopedia" - "Products" section.

Both are easy to cook. It is important to know that classic couscous is neutral in taste, while ptitim couscous is a bit like pasta and is not directly couscous. It is best to cook couscous separately from other foods. If you just want to boil and eat couscous, then salt the water in which it will be boiled. After cooking, add butter: butter or vegetable.

How to prepare couscous for a side dish

As such, it does not require cooking. Couscous is steamed with boiling water. The proportions of product and water are 1: 2. For example, 150 gr. cereals need to take 300 ml. boiling water.

Pour boiling water over the cereal, be sure to cover the container with a lid and wait 5 minutes. You do not need to stir during cooking. You can either pour boiling water from a kettle on couscous, or pour couscous into a saucepan with boiling water. There will be no difference, I checked.

This is what the finished couscous should look like. Then it can be added to other ingredients or there is.

Couscous ptitim - how to cook

We cook ptitim in the same way as rice. Pour with water in a ratio of 1: 2, salt, bring to a boil and cook, covered over low heat for 15 minutes.

It is important to keep the fire very low, as the ptitim can "escape" and flood the entire stove.

Open the lid periodically and stir ptitim, but not often, only 2-3 times during the entire cooking. This is necessary so that it does not stick together or burn to the bottom of the pan.

Please note that the ptitim is still being cooked, but there is practically no water. There are 1-2 minutes left until the end of cooking.

Couscous molds well and holds its shape. This property can be advantageously used when serving dishes using it.

Couscous is a versatile side dish that requires a minimum of effort to prepare. Due to its delicate taste, it goes well with fish, meat and vegetable dishes.

The classic couscous recipe

Nowadays, couscous is made mechanically from durum wheat, rice or barley, while earlier it was made by hand from millet or semolina.

The glycemic index of couscous is 1/4 lower than that of rice or pasta, and the content of folate, niacin and riboflavin is 2 times higher

Couscous with broth

The peculiarity of this cereal is that it is able to absorb the taste of other ingredients. Therefore, it is better to use chicken broth instead of water.

Prepare the chicken stock ahead of time, so the time for preparing the couscous side dish will be significantly reduced.

What you need:

250 g of cereals;
250 g chicken broth;
1 tsp salt.

Instructions:

Place the cereal in a deep bowl.
Keep in mind that couscous will triple in volume after cooking
Make sure there are no foreign bodies in it.
All couscous grains should be light, there should be no dirt particles in the croup
Add salt to the cereal and mix everything with a spoon.
Sea salt can be used, this will increase the content of useful microelements in the dish
Bring the broth to a boil and pour over the couscous.
Strain the broth through a sieve before heating to remove root pieces and spices
Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Ready-made couscous can be used as a full-fledged side dish, or can be mixed with fillers.
Couscous with chicken broth has a delicate and at the same time rich taste

If you did not have time to cook the broth, then replace it with the same amount of hot water. In this case, be sure to add 1 tablespoon of butter to the cereal.

Video: couscous with Italian herbs and garlic

With the addition of vegetables

Various vegetables added to couscous change the flavor of the garnish, creating new accents.

Couscous with curry, pumpkin and tomatoes

Couscous, according to this recipe, goes especially well with pork or beef dishes.

Cherry tomatoes differ from ordinary tomatoes in increased sweetness and denser pulp

Ingredients:

200 g of couscous;
200 g cherry tomatoes;
200 g pumpkin;
50 g mint;
100 g of peeled pine nuts;
1.5 tbsp. boiling water;
3 tbsp. l. olive oil;
1/2 tsp curry powder;
1/2 tsp lemon zest;
1/2 tsp salt;
a pinch of black pepper.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
You need a sharp knife to cut cherry tomatoes, otherwise the vegetables will wrinkle and lose their juice
Peel the garlic and cut into slices.
It is better to take garlic young and juicy
Place the tomatoes and garlic in an ovenproof dish and then pour over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Do not exceed the specified amount of oil, as tomatoes will produce a lot of juice during baking.
Bake vegetables at 200 ° for 15 minutes.
Roasting helps to soften tomatoes
Cut the pumpkin pulp into cubes.
When cutting pumpkin, try to keep the cubes of the same size, this will make the dish not only tasty, but also beautiful
Fry the pumpkin cubes in oil (1 tablespoon).
In the process of roasting the pumpkin, you can sprinkle it with one teaspoon of sugar, this will give the pulp a caramel color and a sweet taste.
To boil water.
The water for the couscous should boil with a key
Pour boiling water over the cereal.
Stir the contents of the bowl while mixing cereals with boiling water, so the couscous is soaked in water evenly
Brown the peeled pine nuts in a frying pan.
Do not burn pine nuts when roasting
Chop the mint with a knife.
Mint must be fresh, dry leaves will not give the desired aroma
Heat curry and black pepper in oil (1 tablespoon).
Remove the pan from heat as soon as the curry and pepper oil is bubbling.
Remove the zest from the lemon.
Lemon zest adds a spicy freshness to the couscous garnish
Now you need to mix all the seasonings, vegetables and couscous. Let the dish stand for 10 minutes and then serve.
Couscous garnish with vegetables can be eaten cold

Video: side dish with vegetables and soy sauce

Couscous with legumes

Couscous is originally a Maghreb dish, so a variety of legumes are often used in recipes.

Garnish with chickpeas, cumin and zucchini

Chickpeas, or chickpeas, go well with couscous. Such a side dish can replace a full meal. Chicken or fish dishes work best with chickpea couscous.

Chick peas are superior to other types of legumes in the content of essential amino acids - tryptophan and methionine

Components:

200 g of couscous;
1 red onion;
1 carrot;
200 g zucchini;
2 tbsp. l. lemon juice;
50 g greens (cilantro, mint);
1/2 tsp cumin;
100 ml of tomato juice;
200 g chickpeas;
1/3 tsp salt;
1/2 tsp peppercorns.

Cut the onion into half rings.
Slicing onions in half rings will make the dish beautiful and bright.
Peel the carrots.
Cut off the peel of the carrot in a thin layer so as not to lose a lot of vitamins and valuable trace elements
Cut the root vegetable into strips.
Fry vegetables in hot oil (1 tablespoon).
Saute vegetables over medium heat to prevent carrots from burning
Peel the zucchini.
It is very convenient to remove the rind from the zucchini with a steel peeler
Chop the zucchini into cubes.
Cut the zucchini not too finely so that the pieces retain their shape during cooking
Fry it in a hot skillet with butter (1 tablespoon).
The zucchini should acquire a soft and slightly golden color during the roasting process.
Cover the chickpeas with cold water 3-4 hours before preparing the side dish.
When the chickpeas are swollen, boil them until soft and fold over a sieve.
The water left after boiling chickpeas can be cooled and used to water indoor plants.
Pour boiling water over the couscous. Let stand so that the cereal absorbs all the water.
Stir the cereals with a fork from time to time, so the couscous absorbs water evenly
Using a press, squeeze the juice from half a lemon.
Use fresh lemon for dressing the garnish, it will give the dish a sharp citrus aroma.
Add salt to tomato juice and heat it to 40-50 °.
Stir the salt in the heated tomato juice thoroughly
Heat the cumin seeds in a dry hot skillet.
When heated, essential oils are released from the cumin seeds, which gives the couscous garnish a unique aroma
Pound hot cumin and peppercorns in a mortar.
Once the spices are crushed, immediately add them to the warmed tomato juice.
Combine warm couscous with chickpeas, chopped herbs and vegetables. Make a depression in the middle and pour in the spiced tomato juice and lemon juice. Stir the garnish thoroughly and let sit, covered for 5-7 minutes, then serve.
A bright and aromatic side dish of couscous with chickpeas will decorate the feast and delight the home with an unusual taste

If you didn't have time to soak the chickpeas before preparing the side dish, add one teaspoon of baking soda to the cooking water. This trick will shorten the cooking time of the chickpeas.

Video: couscous with mint and green peas

The first time I tried a couscous side dish was in a Moroccan restaurant. The dish seemed to me very unusual and tasty. Seeing that such cereals are sold in stores, I purchased one package for testing. Having decided to try the simplest recipe for couscous garnish, I cooked chicken broth for it, and cooked cutlets as the main dish. It turned out that this wheat grits can be successfully used as an alternative to boring buckwheat, rice or mashed potatoes. The garnish is tender, crumbly and very fragrant.

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Couscous is small balls made from very finely ground cereals, most often wheat. This food is widespread in the East, but more and more often our compatriots include dishes from this product in their daily diet. Cous-cous retains the beneficial properties of the cereal from which it was made, thanks to which the food from it turns out to be hearty and nutritious. But unlike our usual cereals, it is prepared very quickly and easily, because it does not even need to be cooked. If you learn how to cook couscous for a side dish, you can indulge loved ones with delicious and nutritious lunches and dinners, whipping them up. Indeed, even on the train, at work or in the country, being in cramped conditions and not having a lot of time, couscous can be turned into an appetizing side dish or even a full-fledged dish.

Cooking features

Cooking a couscous side dish will not be a difficult task, even for an inexperienced cook. This cereal cooks quickly, and to get a tasty meal from it, you just need to prepare an appetizing dressing with vegetables or other ingredients. However, if you are not familiar with the basic principles of cooking couscous dishes, you can get a completely different result than the culinary specialist expects. Before moving on to choosing a suitable recipe, you should get acquainted with the general principles of cooking dishes from this unusual cereal.

Couscous is not always the same, its properties may depend on what kind of cereal it is made from. Usually, for its preparation, they use twice as much boiling water as cereals, and insist it for only 5-10 minutes. But if the product is made not from semolina, but from other cereals, the ratio of couscous to liquid, as well as the time of its swelling, may be different. To avoid mistakes, you must adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations, which are easy to find on the product packaging.
Couscous is not boiled, but only poured with boiling water and insisted for a certain time... After the cereal swells, it must be loosened with a fork, and only then combined with other ingredients or served.
When preparing a side dish of couscous, you need to know that the cereal swells greatly, significantly increasing in volume. From 75 g of couscous and 150 ml of water, about 300-350 ml of ready-made food (weighing about 220 g) is obtained, this is more than enough per serving.
To correctly determine the optimal ratio of ingredients, sometimes you need to know not only the volume, but also the weight of the product. Without scales, couscous can be measured with a glass or spoon. A teaspoon holds about 7 g of cereal, in a dining room - about 25 g, in a glass with a capacity of 200 ml - 220 g.
When preparing couscous for a side dish, it is often flavored with butter or sauce, mixed with fried, stewed and boiled vegetables. By the time vegetables are combined with couscous, they should be cooked to readiness.

Couscous as a side dish is almost universal. It goes best with meat and poultry dishes, but if you cook it with spices and vegetables that go well with fish, then you can serve it with a fish dish.

The easiest recipe for making couscous for a side dish

couscous - 0.25 kg;
water - 0.4 l;
salt, butter - to taste.

Recipe for the occasion::

Cooking method:

Measure out the required amount of couscous, pour it into a small saucepan. Salt.
Boil water in a kettle or other saucepan, pour couscous over it.
Cover the casserole with a lid. Leave it on for 10 minutes.
Add melted butter, loosen the food. Taste it, add salt if necessary, stir again.

The couscous prepared according to this recipe as a side dish goes well with almost any dish. It goes worst with fish, best of all with meat.

Couscous garnish in vegetable broth

couscous - 0.22 kg;
water - 1 l;
onions - 150-180 g;
carrots - 160-200 g;
bay leaf - 1 pc .;
refined vegetable oil - 20 ml.

Cooking method:

Peel the onions and carrots. You don't need to cut vegetables.
Put vegetables in a saucepan, cover with clean water. Add salt and spices to them. Pour in a spoonful of vegetable oil.
Place the pot on the stove. Bring water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the intensity of the flame and cook the vegetables until tender.
Strain the broth.
Put the couscous in a bowl or other container, pour over 0.4 l of hot broth. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.

Spread the finished couscous into plates using a cooking ring, garnish with boiled carrot slices. It remains to put the main dish next to it and serve the food to the table.

Couscous garnish with carrots, onions and curry

couscous - 0.2 kg;
carrots - 150 g;
onions - 150 g;
water - 0.4 l;
soy sauce - 60-80 ml;
curry seasoning - 5-10 g

Cooking method:

Place the couscous in a container of a suitable size, taking into account the fact that it will greatly increase in volume after adding boiling water to it. Add curry powder to the grits, mix well to distribute the seasoning evenly.
Boil water, mix with soy sauce. Pour the resulting mixture into the couscous.
Cover the container with cereals with a lid and leave it to swell.
Remove the husk from the onion, cut it into small pieces.
Scrape, wash the carrots. Dry it with a napkin, chop it on a coarse grater.
Heat oil in a deep skillet. Put onions in it, lightly brown it.
Add carrots to the onion. Saute vegetables until tender.
Loosen the swollen couscous and transfer to the vegetables. Stir. Let the dish warm for a minute and remove the skillet from heat.

Couscous according to this recipe is juicy and aromatic. It will be a good addition to pork and poultry dishes.

Couscous with tomatoes and pine nuts for garnish

couscous - 150 g;
hot water - 0.25 l;
pine nuts - 50 g;
cherry tomatoes - 0.25 kg;
lemon - 1 pc.;
fresh mint to taste;
salt, black pepper - to taste;
olive oil - 40 ml.

Cooking method:

Dry the pine nuts in a skillet without oil. Cool it down.
Wash the tomatoes, dry with a napkin. Place in a greased baking dish. Mix the remaining oil with squeezed lemon juice, pour over the tomatoes with this mixture.
Place the dish with tomatoes in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Pour the couscous into a small saucepan, add salt, pepper, a teaspoon of finely grated zest to it, mix.
Pour boiling water over the couscous, leave to infuse for 5-7 minutes.
Transfer the tomatoes to the couscous with the juice and oil released from them, add pine nuts and finely chopped mint. Stir. Leave to infuse for 5 minutes.

The couscous garnish made according to this recipe goes well with poultry and fish. It can also be served as a stand-alone snack.

Couscous with onions, garlic and herbs for garnish

couscous - 150 g;
water - 0.3 l;
fresh parsley - 20 g;
garlic - 1 clove;
onions - 80 g;
refined vegetable oil - 20 ml;
dried Italian herbs - 5 g;
salt, black pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

Chop the garlic finely with a knife.
Peel, finely chop the onion.
Wash the parsley, dry, chop finely.
Prepare the couscous by mixing it with salt, pepper and dried herbs.
Boil water.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan, put onion and garlic in it, fry them until the onions become transparent.
Pour couscous into the vegetables, pour boiling water over.
Remove the pan from the stove, cover with a lid. Wait 3 minutes.
Stir the contents of the pan with the parsley. Wait a few more minutes. Keep the couscous under the lid at this time, as it cools quickly.

The garnish prepared according to this recipe is suitable for any type of meat, as well as for chicken, turkey.

Couscous in a slow cooker for a side dish

couscous - 0.2 kg;
water - 0.4 l;
carrots - 100 g;
onions - 100 g;
salt, pepper - to taste;
butter - 60 g.

Cooking method:

Peel the carrots, cut into small cubes.
Peel the onion, chop finely.
Put the oil in the multicooker bowl. Switch on the "Fry" program. If your appliance does not have such a program, you can use the Baking program.
Add onions and carrots. Cook them for 10 minutes.
Switch off the unit temporarily. Pour water over the vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Start the device by activating the Soup program for literally 10 minutes.
Pour couscous into boiled water, mix the products. Leave the food for 15-20 minutes in the heating mode.

A delicate side dish made from couscous according to the given recipe will go with any dish of meat and poultry.

Garnish of frozen vegetables and couscous

couscous - 0.22 kg;
water - 0.4 l;
refined vegetable oil - 40 ml;
frozen vegetable mixture (best of all Mexican) - 0.4 kg;
salt, spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Heat the oil in a deep skillet, pour the frozen vegetable mixture into it. Roast vegetables for 5-7 minutes.
Add the amount of water indicated in the recipe, as well as salt and spices.
After boiling water in a pan, simmer vegetables in it for 5 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat. Pour couscous into it. Stir. Cover the pan with a lid and let sit for 10 minutes.

The garnish made according to this recipe looks bright and appetizing. It is so tasty and satisfying that it can be served as a separate dish.

Couscous is good because it cooks quickly and goes well with any type of meat and vegetables. It is ideal for preparing meat dishes and poultry appetizers. Some recipes allow you to turn couscous into a side dish for fish.

A very tasty and healthy (albeit exotic) side dish is couscous. There are very different recipes for cooking, including with the addition of numerous oriental spices and vegetables. Couscous can be part of salads and even desserts. Every housewife should definitely try to cook such a treat.

So many readers are interested in the question about couscous - what kind of cereal is it? Recently, she gradually began to gain popularity among Russian housewives. Couscous is both the name of a certain cereal and a side dish that is prepared from it. Since ancient times, women have been engaged in the production of such a product. They rolled miniature balls of semolina particles, which were previously sprayed with warm oil or salted water. Only in the middle of the 20th century did the production of couscous begin on an industrial scale. Today it is made from barley, rice and durum wheat.

Most often, couscous is chosen as a side dish. In the way it is cooked, it is similar to rice. And among the main advantages of such a product, culinary experts note its excellent compatibility with any meat, fish, mushrooms, cheeses, spices, dried fruits, fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, the couscous is quickly soaked in the sauce.

It should be noted that the product contains many vitamins and useful elements. Therefore, at least once, such a side dish should be prepared for every gourmet. Surely he will stay in the cookbook for a long time.

How to cook couscous the right way - a quick side dish recipe

As a side dish without any additional ingredients, couscous is prepared very quickly and easily. To do this, you need to take: 120 g of cereals and 2 times more water, 1 pc. onions and carrots, a pinch of salt and curry, 60 ml of soy sauce.

The groats are poured into a saucepan, salted and curried. After thorough mixing, pour boiling water over it and leave to swell under a lid for 15-17 minutes.
While the couscous is soaking, you should take care of vegetables - finely chop the white onion and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Both products are fried in oil until soft.
After adding soy sauce to the pan, the ingredients are stewed for another 7-10 minutes.
It remains to add the swollen couscous to the vegetables, and mix the dish.

To beautifully serve a treat to the table, you should first tamp it into a round bowl, and then gently tilt it onto a flat plate. From above, the resulting pea is decorated with finely chopped fresh herbs.

With vegetables and chicken fillet

The discussed cereal goes well with poultry and vegetables. It is best to take chicken fillet (350 grams) for such a dish. And also: 230 g of cereals, 2 large tomatoes, 2 onions and carrots, a small bunch of fresh parsley, a pinch of ground cinnamon and salt, 450 ml of pure water.

Couscous is poured with boiling water and infused for 5-7 minutes. You do not need to cook it.
Vegetables are washed, peeled and cut in convenient ways.
In any refined oil, the onion is first fried until transparent, after which carrots and tomatoes are added to it. Together, the ingredients are cooked on maximum heat for 2-3 minutes with constant stirring. By this time, the tomato slices should have lost their shape.
Vegetables are transferred to a separate bowl, and small pieces of chicken fillet are fried in the oil remaining from them. Salt is added to the meat.
Vegetables are returned to the pan, water is poured, cinnamon and salt are added to taste. The ingredients are cooked together for a couple of minutes.
It remains to pour the couscous into the container, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and leave it on the stove until the liquid is completely absorbed into the cereal.

Finely chopped parsley is added to the finished dish just before serving.

How to cook in Moroccan?

This version of the dish involves the use of a large amount of vegetables and oriental spices. Among them: 2 pcs. radishes, turnips, tomatoes and onions, 4 pcs. carrots and small zucchini, a pound of pumpkin, a bunch of coriander sprigs, a pinch of ground ginger, turmeric, black pepper, salt. You will also need to take 750 g of any meat and cereals, 130 g of soaked chickpeas, oil, water.

Large pieces of meat, coriander, salt, all the spices and onions cut into rings are sent to the pan. A small amount of water is added to the products, and they are stewed for 12-15 minutes.
Tomatoes are scalded with boiling water and get rid of the skin.
Couscous is poured into a wide plate, poured over with vegetable oil and ground with this liquid ingredient.
1 tbsp is added to half a liter of warm water. coarse salt. The latter should dissolve well in the liquid.
The sprinkled groats should be gradually watered with salt water, and the couscous should be rubbed (as is the case with butter). It should be soaked all over with liquid.
The steamed chickpeas are sent to the meat pan. More water is added to the products.
Grits soaked in salt water are steamed. Then it crumbles again on the table, gets rid of the lumps and is sprayed with warm liquid. The procedure is repeated three times. After each steaming, the cereal volume will increase.
All vegetables, chopped and peeled in large pieces, are sent to the pan to the meat with chickpeas. Salt is added to the container to taste, and a new portion of water is poured. The ingredients are cooked together until the vegetables are cooked.
The couscous steamed three times is poured onto a wide plate. Pour the entire surface of it with sauce from a saucepan. After that, meat is laid out in the middle of the dish, and pieces of vegetables are placed on the edges.

Such a treat will become a complete lunch or dinner.

Couscous salad

The discussed cereal goes well with fresh vegetables in salads. For example, with cucumbers (3 pcs.) And paprika (1 pc.). In addition to vegetables, you need to take: 2 sprigs of fresh basil and the same amount of cilantro greens, 80 g of couscous, 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, olive oil.

Sweet peppers and fresh cucumbers are cut into small cubes. The first vegetable can also be pickled.
The greens are finely chopped with a sharp knife.
Couscous is poured with boiling water for 15 minutes, after which a couple of teaspoons of oil are added to it.
All products are laid out in a deep bowl, salted, poured with a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar. At the very end, a small amount of olive oil is sent to them.

The treat is served chilled.

In spanish

The dish, prepared according to a traditional Spanish recipe, always includes olives. And instead of water for it, it is best to take beef broth (450 ml). You will also need to use: 1 bell pepper, 1 tbsp. cereals, 470 g of minced beef, half a white onion, 2 garlic cloves, half a glass of olives, a pinch of salt, ground caraway seeds and dry thyme leaves.

A glass of water is brought to a boil, after which the fire is immediately turned off, and the couscous is sent to the pan.
Minced meat is fried in oil until half cooked. In the process, you need to cut it into small pieces with a spoon.
Chopped onions, garlic, salt and all seasonings are sent to the pan for the meat. The ingredients are fried together for a couple of minutes.
Beef broth is poured into a container with meat and vegetables, and olives, cut into thin slices, are poured. After about 5 minutes, more bell pepper cubes are added. Simmer the mass until the amount of broth in the pan decreases by approximately 2 times.
The soaked couscous is transferred into a deep bowl and slightly loosened with a fork. From above it is poured with a mixture of ingredients from a frying pan.

Before serving, the dish should be infused for 10 minutes so that the cereal has time to soak well with the hot sauce.

Pork couscous - step by step recipe

If the culinary specialist is not worried about the calorie content of the dish, then he can prepare a hearty treat of couscous with pork and tomato juice. To do this, you will need to use: 350 g of meat (pulp), 2 small onions, 1 tbsp. cereals and the same amount of water, 350 ml of tomato juice, oil, salt, spices.

The onion is cut into small cubes and fried in oil until soft.
Thin strips of pork are sent to the vegetable. Together, the products are cooked until an appetizing crust appears on the meat.
Tomato juice is poured into the container, the mass is salted, peppered, covered with a lid and brought to a boil.
Then you can turn down the heat, and simmer the future gravy over low heat for 25 minutes.
A pinch of salt is sent to the couscous, after which the product is poured with boiling water and covered with a lid.
After 5 minutes, the cereal is loosened with a fork and poured into the pan with the finished meat.
After stirring, the dish can be removed from heat.

The treat is served with fresh or pickled vegetables.

Garnish with baked tomatoes

It is best to take cherry tomatoes for such a dish. In addition to miniature tomatoes (2 tbsp.), You will need to use: 2/3 cup of cereals, 60 g of fried pine nuts, lemon zest and its juice, 60 ml of olive oil, a small bunch of fresh mint, salt, pepper. The following is a detailed description of how such a couscous is prepared with vegetables.

Tomatoes are folded in one layer into any heat-resistant form, poured with a tablespoon of olive oil and sent to a well-heated oven until softened.
The groats are poured with boiling water and left for 8 minutes.
Tomatoes (together with the juice formed during baking) are sent to a container with a swollen couscous. Nuts, the remaining oil, finely chopped mint, lemon zest and juice, salt, any chosen seasonings are added there.

After stirring, the dish is immediately served on the table.

Delicious and easy multicooker recipe

It is very easy to cook couscous in a slow cooker. The device must have Soup mode. In addition to cereals (1 multi-glass), you need to take: 2 times more water, 1 pc. onions and carrots, 70 g of butter, a pinch of salt.

After chopping, onions and carrots are cooked in the "Fry" mode in butter until soft.
Salt is poured into the container, water is poured in and the "Soup" program starts.
Immediately after boiling, you can add couscous to the bowl, switch the device to the “Warm up” mode for 17 minutes and close the lid.
After the specified time has elapsed, the treat will be completely ready.