Cous cous- I'm s@#*% at it!

[truck71]

Need to seriously improve how I go about preparing and serving the above, I usually end up with something that is bland, a bit sticky and tasting not unlike a paper product if that makes sense. All advice gratefully received.

[21TonyK]

Obviously quantities will vary but say for 250g of cous cous I'd do something along the lines of the following.

1/2 finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves (sliced)
1/2 red/green pepper finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin, coriander and smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chilli powder and cinnamon
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper.
Handful of sultanas
Half handful of toasted flaked almonds
Chicken stock cube

250g of cous cous in a measuring jug (note the volume)

Sweat and lightly brown the onion and garlic. Add everything except the cous cous (crumble up the stock cube)with a splash of oil for a few seconds on a low heat. Then add the cous cous and keep mixing. Now add boiling water, 1.5 times the volume of the cous cous.

Good stir, off the heat, lid on. Every few minutes run a fork through it. When its looks right pour out onto a flat tray to cool and finally add loads of chopped parsley.

[calibrax]

truck71 said:

Need to seriously improve how I go about preparing and serving the above, I usually end up with something that is bland, a bit sticky and tasting not unlike a paper product if that makes sense. All advice gratefully received.

I thought that was normal for cous cous. I just can't stand the stuff - I'll take rice instead, every time. Maybe I just need to find somewhere that cooks it properly. Same goes for quinoa.

[Hoofy]

Don't see the problem with it like that. You don't eat it on its own. Rice, potatoes etc are all bland until you start mixing it with stuff. Or you put things in it... which is mixing it with stuff.

[calibrax]

It's more about the texture than the flavour. Just feels like eating moist sand!

[truck71]

21TonyK said:

Obviously quantities will vary but say for 250g of cous cous I'd do something along the lines of the following.

1/2 finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves (sliced)
1/2 red/green pepper finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin, coriander and smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chilli powder and cinnamon
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper.
Handful of sultanas
Half handful of toasted flaked almonds
Chicken stock cube

250g of cous cous in a measuring jug (note the volume)

Sweat and lightly brown the onion and garlic. Add everything except the cous cous (crumble up the stock cube)with a splash of oil for a few seconds on a low heat. Then add the cous cous and keep mixing. Now add boiling water, 1.5 times the volume of the cous cous.

Good stir, off the heat, lid on. Every few minutes run a fork through it. When its looks right pour out onto a flat tray to cool and finally add loads of chopped parsley.

Excellent, thanks. If I removed the smoked paprika how do you think this would work with a tagine- or would you leave it in?

[Hoofy]

calibrax said:

It's more about the texture than the flavour. Just feels like eating moist sand!

You're not letting it cook enough if it still feels like sand! Try leaving it for 5 minutes rather than 4. Seriously, couscous is so easy to prepare. I just had some - pour into a bowl, add hot water (I couldn't even be bothered to let the water boil), wait a few minutes.

[21TonyK]

truck71 said:

Excellent, thanks. If I removed the smoked paprika how do you think this would work with a tagine- or would you leave it in?

Perfect with a tagine, chuck in some sliced olives as well. Mix and match the spices to what you have.

[truck71]

21TonyK said:

Perfect with a tagine, chuck in some sliced olives as well. Mix and match the spices to what you have.

Ta. Good shout on the olives.

[jamiem555]

I melt butter in a pan, add the cous cous. Mix until the butter has been soaked up and remove the heat. Add chicken stock until the cous cous is just covered. Leave until all the stock is absorbed. Stir with a fork.

[oddman]

Heston Blumethal's recipe in Family Food is brilliant

50ml olive oil
500g couscous
1 litre water (I use boiling water)

Heat olive oil until smoking. Stir in couscous and keep moving till all the grains are golden
Pour in water - it will boil rapidly. Stir rapidly
Put on a lid and leave for 1/2 an hour
Fluff up with fork

Need a lot of seasoning. Lemon juice as well is nice

Can adapt this recipe by stirring in any cooked veg, meat chickpeas spices etc before the resting stage.

The initial frying helps with flavour and stops it being clumpy. You can adapt it easily because it's always wove the volume of water to the weight of couscous in grams. The amount of oil doesn't really matter as long as it's enough to fry the grains but not so much that is is greasy.

Edited by oddman on Sunday 28th June 14:16

[zygalski]

truck71 said:

Need to seriously improve how I go about preparing and serving the above, I usually end up with something that is bland, a bit sticky and tasting not unlike a paper product if that makes sense. All advice gratefully received.

Use chicken stock instead of water, plenty of toasted pine nuts, some finely chopped dates/dried apricots or whole raisins & fresh corriander stirred in just before serving. A good squeeze of lemon juice is never bad. Check the seasoning before you serve. Couscous takes a fair amount of salt & also freshly ground black pepper.
There are fancier recipes, but the above is a decent start for those struggling with couscous.

[2ono]

Cous Cous - so good they named it twice

[soad]

Ainsley Harriott packets are quite decent (for a quick fix).
Currently 50p each in Morrisons.

[ali_kat]

soad said:

Ainsley Harriott packets are quite decent (for a quick fix).
Currently 50p each in Morrisons.

I always mix 2 flavours together and add a knob of butter

[Fishtigua]

Cling film under the lid so no moisture escapes also helps to keep it fluffy.

[fat80b]

cous cous needs a plastic bowl and boiling water.

If you use a ceramic or glass bowl, the cooling of the vessel impacts the cooking of the cous cous. The insulating properties of a plastic bowl prevent this. combined with cling film, your cous cous will then work every time.

Our recipe:

We do roasted veg in the oven - 20 mins.

put cous cous in a plastic bowl, add a bit of pepper and a bit of veg stock plus a handful of sultanas.

Add a knob of butter if it is a weekend and add the boiling water, quick stir then cover with cling for 5 mins.

Once done, add the roasted veg into the cous cous along with a bit of chopped up Feta and voila.

Great with lamb chops.

Bob

[DMN]

My method is very similar to fat80b's.

A plastic container with the Cous Cous in it. Then I add some black pepper and freshly ground fennel for a fresh tasting side dish for a heavier meal (Goes great with spicy Morocan Lamb). Put a knob of butter on the top, followed by boiling water. Then I put a lid on it and leave it five minutes whilst I finish the other dishes that its going with.

[Dr G]

ali_kat said:

soad said:

Ainsley Harriott packets are quite decent (for a quick fix).
Currently 50p each in Morrisons.

I always mix 2 flavours together and add a knob of butter

Butter, stock, seasoning and anything else in the fridge

[boyse7en]

soad said:

Ainsley Harriott packets are quite decent (for a quick fix).
Currently 50p each in Morrisons.

regular fix for lunch. I buy them in Asda when they're on offer and keep them in a drawer in the office. Perfect for emergencies as they are tasty, filling, quick and can be made with just hot water.