Le couscous est un plat du Maghreb, mais est également très courant en France et dans de nombreux pays africains et orientaux. Strictement parlant, le couscous est la semoule de blé utilisée pour sa préparation. Il existe ensuite une infinité de recettes pour agrémenter cette semoule, en fait il y a autant de façons de préparer le couscous qu'il y a de personnes le cuisinant ... La recette donnée ci-dessous n'est qu'une possible parmi cette infinité.
Ingrédients
Pour 8 personnes :
2 kg de collier d'agneau
1,5 kg de semoule
1 kg de carottes
1 kg de navets
1 chou
3 gros oignons
huile d'olive
1 petite boîte de concentré de tomates
ras el hanout
2 poignées de raisins secs
Préparation
Dans le couscoussier faire revenir les morceaux de collier d'agneau dans l'huile d'olive.
Les retirer lorsqu'ils sont dorés. Dans la même huile de cuisson, faire revenir les oignons émincés, ajouter les raisins secs.
Ajouter le contenu d'un petit pot de concentré de tomates, une à deux cuillerées d'harissa, ainsi qu'un à deux verres d'eau. Remuer. Lorsque la sauce ainsi obtenue bout, ajouter la viande.
La laisser s'imprégner pendant quelques minutes. Ajouter de l'eau jusqu'à ce que la viande soit tout juste recouverte. Compter 15 min à partir de l'ébullition. Ecumer régulièrement.
Peler et laver les légumes. Couper les carottes en 4 dans le sens de la longueur.
Couper les navets et le chou en 4. Saler, poivrer, ajouter du raz-el-hanout selon sa convenance.
Ajouter les carottes. Laisser bouillir 15 minutes.
Etaler la semoule dans un grand récipient (bassine, saladier) Saler, huiler. Malaxer afin de répartir l'huile uniformément. Ajouter progressivement de l'eau fraîche et malaxer pour l'incorporer à la semoule.
Remplir la partie supérieure du couscoussier avec la semoule. La poser sur le couscoussier.
Etanchéifier en nouant un linge mouillé. Laisser cuire 30 minutes, à partir du moment où la vapeur passe à travers la semoule.
Retirer la semoule, et l'étaler dans un plat. Gouter. Resaler si besoin. Ajouter un peu d'huile et d'eau fraîche pour la rendre plus souple. Gouter la sauce. Ajouter du raz-el-hanout si besoin. Ajouter les navets et le chou. Remettre la semoule. Compter à nouveau 30 minutes à partir du moment ou la vapeur passe.
Goûter la sauce. Rectifier éventuellement en ajoutant sel ou poivre. Ajouter les pois chiches.
Disposer dans des plats et servir.
Couscous (from Maghreb Arabic kuskusu, which is from Tamazight seksu) is a food which consists of grains made from semolina which are about 1 mm or 1/16th inch in diameter (after cooking).
Couscous is traditionally served under a meat or vegetable stew. The dish is the primary staple food throughout the Maghreb; in much of Algeria, eastern Morocco, Tunisia , and Libya it is simply known as ta`aam طعام, "food". It is popular in the Maghreb, the West African Sahel, in France, and parts of the Middle East, it's also very popular among Jews of North African descent. But this speciality is from a Berber origin.
In the United States couscous is known as a pasta, however in most other countries it is treated more like a grain in its own right. In the United States, the food is often a source of humor, as many consider its reduplicative name to be inherently funny. As the character of Chandler Bing from the television show Friends remarks, "Here's a little known fact about couscous, they didn't add the second 'cous' until 1979".
Manufacturing
The couscous grains are made from semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) or, in some regions, from coarsely ground barley or millet. The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry semolina to keep the pellets separate, and then sieved. The pellets which are too small enough to be finished grains of couscous fall through the sieve to be again sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny grains of couscous.
This process is very labour-intensive. Traditionally, groups of women would come together and make a large batch of couscous grains over several days. These would then be dried in the sun and used for several months. Nowadays couscous is normally made in factories, and is sold in markets around the world.
Berkoukes are pasta bullets made by the same process, but are larger than the grains of couscous.
http://mybookofrai.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/07/the_march_of_co.html#more "The March of Couscous" Article written by Farid Zadi. Traces how couscous was taken to different countries from its origins in North Africa.
CookingCouscous should be steamed two to three times. When properly cooked the texture is light and fluffy, it should not be gummy or gritty. The couscous available to buy in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried, the package directions usually instruct to add a little boiling water to it to make it ready for consumption. This method is quick and easy to prepare by pouring the couscous grains into boiling water or stock, adding some vegetable oil and stirring. The couscous swells and within a few minutes is ready to serve. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than dried pasta or grains such as rice.
The traditional North African method is to use a steamer called a keskes in Tunisian or couscoussière in French. The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked in a stew. On top of the base a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavours from the stew. The lid to the steamer has holes around its edge so that steam can escape. If you do not have a couscousier you can use a pot with a steamer insert. If the holes are too big line the steamer with damp cheesecloth.
In Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, couscous is generally served with vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc.) cooked in a spicy or mild broth, and some meat (generally, chicken, lamb or mutton); in some parts of Libya they use fish and squid. Such a dish is now popular in former colonial power France, where this particular preparation is generally implied by the word "couscous". Packaged sets containing a box of quick-preparation couscous and a can of vegetables and, generally, meat are sold in French grocery stores and supermarkets.
There are recipes from Brazil that use boiled couscous molded into timbale with other ingredients. Couscous can also be combined with meat or vegetables during cooking, and is often highly flavoured with aromatic spices.
Ingrédients
Pour 8 personnes :
2 kg de collier d'agneau
1,5 kg de semoule
1 kg de carottes
1 kg de navets
1 chou
3 gros oignons
huile d'olive
1 petite boîte de concentré de tomates
ras el hanout
2 poignées de raisins secs
Préparation
Dans le couscoussier faire revenir les morceaux de collier d'agneau dans l'huile d'olive.
Les retirer lorsqu'ils sont dorés. Dans la même huile de cuisson, faire revenir les oignons émincés, ajouter les raisins secs.
Ajouter le contenu d'un petit pot de concentré de tomates, une à deux cuillerées d'harissa, ainsi qu'un à deux verres d'eau. Remuer. Lorsque la sauce ainsi obtenue bout, ajouter la viande.
La laisser s'imprégner pendant quelques minutes. Ajouter de l'eau jusqu'à ce que la viande soit tout juste recouverte. Compter 15 min à partir de l'ébullition. Ecumer régulièrement.
Peler et laver les légumes. Couper les carottes en 4 dans le sens de la longueur.
Couper les navets et le chou en 4. Saler, poivrer, ajouter du raz-el-hanout selon sa convenance.
Ajouter les carottes. Laisser bouillir 15 minutes.
Etaler la semoule dans un grand récipient (bassine, saladier) Saler, huiler. Malaxer afin de répartir l'huile uniformément. Ajouter progressivement de l'eau fraîche et malaxer pour l'incorporer à la semoule.
Remplir la partie supérieure du couscoussier avec la semoule. La poser sur le couscoussier.
Etanchéifier en nouant un linge mouillé. Laisser cuire 30 minutes, à partir du moment où la vapeur passe à travers la semoule.
Retirer la semoule, et l'étaler dans un plat. Gouter. Resaler si besoin. Ajouter un peu d'huile et d'eau fraîche pour la rendre plus souple. Gouter la sauce. Ajouter du raz-el-hanout si besoin. Ajouter les navets et le chou. Remettre la semoule. Compter à nouveau 30 minutes à partir du moment ou la vapeur passe.
Goûter la sauce. Rectifier éventuellement en ajoutant sel ou poivre. Ajouter les pois chiches.
Disposer dans des plats et servir.
Couscous (from Maghreb Arabic kuskusu, which is from Tamazight seksu) is a food which consists of grains made from semolina which are about 1 mm or 1/16th inch in diameter (after cooking).
Couscous is traditionally served under a meat or vegetable stew. The dish is the primary staple food throughout the Maghreb; in much of Algeria, eastern Morocco, Tunisia , and Libya it is simply known as ta`aam طعام, "food". It is popular in the Maghreb, the West African Sahel, in France, and parts of the Middle East, it's also very popular among Jews of North African descent. But this speciality is from a Berber origin.
In the United States couscous is known as a pasta, however in most other countries it is treated more like a grain in its own right. In the United States, the food is often a source of humor, as many consider its reduplicative name to be inherently funny. As the character of Chandler Bing from the television show Friends remarks, "Here's a little known fact about couscous, they didn't add the second 'cous' until 1979".
Manufacturing
The couscous grains are made from semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) or, in some regions, from coarsely ground barley or millet. The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry semolina to keep the pellets separate, and then sieved. The pellets which are too small enough to be finished grains of couscous fall through the sieve to be again sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny grains of couscous.
This process is very labour-intensive. Traditionally, groups of women would come together and make a large batch of couscous grains over several days. These would then be dried in the sun and used for several months. Nowadays couscous is normally made in factories, and is sold in markets around the world.
Berkoukes are pasta bullets made by the same process, but are larger than the grains of couscous.
http://mybookofrai.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/07/the_march_of_co.html#more "The March of Couscous" Article written by Farid Zadi. Traces how couscous was taken to different countries from its origins in North Africa.
CookingCouscous should be steamed two to three times. When properly cooked the texture is light and fluffy, it should not be gummy or gritty. The couscous available to buy in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried, the package directions usually instruct to add a little boiling water to it to make it ready for consumption. This method is quick and easy to prepare by pouring the couscous grains into boiling water or stock, adding some vegetable oil and stirring. The couscous swells and within a few minutes is ready to serve. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than dried pasta or grains such as rice.
The traditional North African method is to use a steamer called a keskes in Tunisian or couscoussière in French. The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked in a stew. On top of the base a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavours from the stew. The lid to the steamer has holes around its edge so that steam can escape. If you do not have a couscousier you can use a pot with a steamer insert. If the holes are too big line the steamer with damp cheesecloth.
In Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, couscous is generally served with vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc.) cooked in a spicy or mild broth, and some meat (generally, chicken, lamb or mutton); in some parts of Libya they use fish and squid. Such a dish is now popular in former colonial power France, where this particular preparation is generally implied by the word "couscous". Packaged sets containing a box of quick-preparation couscous and a can of vegetables and, generally, meat are sold in French grocery stores and supermarkets.
There are recipes from Brazil that use boiled couscous molded into timbale with other ingredients. Couscous can also be combined with meat or vegetables during cooking, and is often highly flavoured with aromatic spices.
