Couscous: History, Information, Interesting Facts

What is Couscous?

Couscous is a kind of food whose origins are lost in time, most likely born in the north-western portion of the African continent. In its most traditional form, it consists of durum wheat semolina, produced by coarse grinding the cereal more or less finely. Just like rice, Couscous is a staple food, used in a large number of recipes, both sweet and savory. The most classic requires it to be steamed and accompanied by a spiced stew of meat and vegetables (by extension, also this particular preparation is known as ‘Couscous’).

The history of Couscous.

Establishing with precision the origins of Couscous is not an easy task: many scholars trace them back to an indefinite period between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries (*1), in an area corresponding to the north-western portion of the African continent, between Mauritania and Tunisia. Other experts argue that they could be antecedent, locating them further south, in the sub-Saharan territories of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana. Finally, some historians hypothesize that the specialty was born in the Classical era, if not earlier (*2), in the Berber kingdom of Numidia (*3).
Being a poor food, easy to store, carry and prepare, for many centuries Couscous was the perfect tool to feed nomadic people and merchants: not surprisingly, thanks to trade routes, it soon spread to many of the countries of the Mediterranean basin (and more): France, Sicily and the Iberian Peninsula above all.
The oldest written records referring to the specialty date back to the 13th century and come right from Spain, at the time under Arab rule (*4).

Notes:

Couscous in legend.

According to legend, King Solomon, son of David and ruler of Israel, fell madly in love with the Queen of Sheba visiting the court: a sentiment so deep that he completely lost his appetite, compromising his health and ability to govern. His cook was so good to invent a dish, Couscous, so rich in spices to make him hungry again, thus saving his life.
Although both Solomon and the Queen of Sheba have a prominent place in the Bible, no credit should be given to this story: little more than a fable, full of undeniable charm.

How Couscous is made? (hints)

Before (briefly) illustrating the classic recipe for Couscous, it’s important to stress the fact that the name is generally used to indicate both the product, based on durum wheat semolina, and the dish, prepared with this semolina. Although the product requires a fair amount of time to be made (*1), once its granules are properly dried (*2), they can be preserved for long and cooked quite quickly. This last feature has always been of fundamental importance since the specialty was invented as a poor and, especially, practical food, ideal for feeding the Berber nomads and the merchants who once (and, in part, still today), crossed the arid desert sands. All people without time for cooking.
Click here for the preparation steps and the main ingredients.

1) The most traditional Couscous is steamed in the ‘Couscoussierre’: a rounded pot used to cook a stew of vegetables and meat, whose vapors, passing through a pierced cover, slowly rehydrate the semolina. Today industrial Couscous is generally considered more practical since it just needs the addition of boiling water or broth;
2) Once Couscous has become sufficiently light and soft, it’s good practice shelling it with a fork;
3) Couscous is generally placed in a serving dish, garnished with the stew, often (but not necessarily) aesthetically arranged;

In some Maghreb countries (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria above all), the stew for Couscous is generally prepared with a combination of the following ingredients:

• Meat: lamb, chicken, mutton, sometimes camel;
• Vegetables: zucchini, carrots, onions, turnips, aubergines, raisins, parsley;
• Legumes: chickpeas;;
• Spices: saffron, coriander, spicy paprika, red pepper;

In some areas is used fish too;

Notes:
*1: Women generally had the task of processing the durum wheat semolina to make Couscous. This semolina, once sprinkled with water, was hand-worked and sieved to keep the larger grains, which make up the product;
*2: Not surprisingly, the preparation of Couscous necessarily requires its rehydration, traditionally carried out by steaming the semolina;

The African variations of Couscous.

Thanks to commercial traffic and cultural contamination due, among other things, to territorial conquests, Couscous, the specialty born in the north-western portion of Africa, soon spread to many other countries of the continent (and beyond). In each of these places, its original recipe was differently revisited, using typical local ingredients to enrich it with new flavors. A lot of variants developed: here follow some of the most famous: Read more

Morocco:
Moroccan Couscous is often considered the most classic.
It’s generally made with lamb meat, accompanied by vegetables (turnips, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, fresh coriander, garlic, and onions) and flavored with many spices (cinnamon, coriander, paprika, ginger, black pepper, and saffron above all).

Algeria:
The sauce used to accompany Couscous in Algeria is made with lamb and/or chicken (sometimes beef), vegetables (turnips, potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, onions), legumes (chickpeas and/or beans ), and various spices (chili, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cloves, ginger, and cumin). Sometimes, especially in the areas near the coast, fish is used instead of meat.

Tunisia:
In Tunisia, in addition to classic Couscous, including among its main ingredients lamb and/or beef (and sometimes camel), there is a variation, prepared in the areas close to the coast, using fish and/or seafood, shrimp, octopus, and squid. The specialty is generally accompanied by ‘harissa’: a hot and spicy sauce, of which Tunisia is the largest producer.

Libya:
In Libya, Cous Cous (coarse-grained) is prepared with lamb meat, sometimes camel, rarely beef. It’s generally accompanied by vegetables (pumpkin, courgettes, beets, potatoes, celery, fennel, carrots, and onions), tomato puree (or paste), legumes (boiled chickpeas), and spices (black pepper, cinnamon and turmeric above all). It’s also often used to make the dough of a soft pastry, the ‘maghrood’, together with sesame, dates, and honey.

The ‘Maghreb’, the north-western portion of the African continent that includes the great Sahara desert, is considered the place of origin of Couscous.

The tool generally used by North Africans to make Couscous is known as ‘couscousière’ (‘Couscoussier’ in French, ‘Taseksut’ in Berber, ‘Kiskas’ in Arabic): it’s a particular type of pot (*1),Read more ...

How to make Couscous (video).

Here follows an interesting video showing how to make the Moroccan type of Couscous:

N.B. Some ingredients and quantities may vary from those listed in the relevant paragraph of this article.

‘Harissa’ is a traditional sauce with a pasty consistency and an intense red color, used especially (but not only) in the countries of Maghreb (*1) to accompany specialties such as, for example, Couscous, Kebab, or as a seasoning for soups and stews.
Read more

Music for Couscous.

To understand the evocative atmospheres surrounding a specialty such as Couscous, listen to this short musical selection of Berber songs:

Note: join Spotify and listen to the full songs.

Although in European countries Couscous is generally eaten using a fork, this is certainly not the most traditional method. In Arab countries, it’s a millenary custom to use your hands to collect a small quantity of it from a plate (often shared, but not necessarily), make a ball using your fingers or palm, then bring it to your mouth. It’s almost needless to say that, before and after the meal, it’s a good habit to clean yourself, using a jug that is passed around among the diners.

Couscous consists of durum wheat semolina, whose grains can vary in size: the ‘classic’ one is about 2 millimeters in diameter. There is also a ‘larger’ type, which can exceed 3 millimeters (also known as ‘Berkoukes’), and a finer (or extra-fine) one, which measures about 1 millimeter.

A traditional dish such as Cous Cous is characterized by a large number of interesting facts. Here follow a list of some of the most appetizing:
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It’s impossible to determine with precision the calories of Couscous as a preparation, since the sauces that accompany it may vary in ingredients and quantities. It’s simpler to provide information on Couscous intended just as cooked durum wheat semolina: one hundred grams contain between 340 and 370 calories.
Regarding the nutritional values, Couscous includes:
Read more.