The ancient dish couscous has been eaten for centuries by civilizations all over the world. It is a staple food in North Africa, and some people call it “the national dish of Morocco.
Couscous was originally made with semolina dough that would be rolled into tiny balls before boiling them in water or milk until they were soft and ready to eat.
The traditional recipe can still be found today, but many variations have been created by cooks from other cultures as well. In this guide, we will explore what you should eat with couscous to get the most flavor out of your meal.
The most traditional way to serve it is with lamb stew but there are many other variations that can be served as well depending on your region. Some examples would include serving it in a tomato sauce or topping it with an onion salad for a lighter meal option.
It’s often served as the main dish with vegetables and a sauce, or it can be used as an accompaniment to another dish. It can be enjoyed best with vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, onions or peppers.
Couscous can be made with many different ingredients, but it’s most common to eat it plain or with butter and spices. It also pairs well with chicken or lamb for a heartier meal.
You could serve it with chicken curry, beef chili or even white beans and corn for a vegetarian meal. The best thing about couscous is that it pairs well with just about anything.
Is couscous a healthy food?
Is couscous a healthy food? In the past, people would have been more likely to answer “no” to this question.
Couscous is made from semolina wheat and it’s often cooked with butter or oil. Couscous is high in carbohydrates and low in fat, but it does not contain very much fiber.
It can be tasty when eaten with vegetables and legumes or lean meat like chicken or turkey. However, couscous has a lot of sodium, so you need to watch your salt intake if you decide to eat this grain regularly. Couscous is an excellent choice for vegetarians who are looking for more protein options besides soy-based products.
There are many ways that couscous can serve as the perfect side dish whether you’re eating vegetarian food or have meat on your plate. If you’re cooking couscous make sure to monitor the amount of salt because there’s a ton already added to the food.
If you’re eating couscous as a side dish, choose healthy veggies and lean meats like chicken or turkey to keep it low-fat. There are now much healthier alternatives available that you can make at home like cauliflower couscous or zucchini couscous.
Cauliflower and zucchini both offer many health benefits so if you’re looking for a vegetable-based dish then these two options might be worth exploring.
Is couscous good for weight loss?
You might have already seen this question pop up on your Facebook feed: is couscous good for weight loss? The answer to this question has several factors that you need to take into consideration.
Couscous is typically made from semolina flour, or durum wheat. Semolina flour has a higher fat content than most other grains, and many people use it when they want to make a more filling dish. Couscous can be an excellent choice for weight loss if you are careful about what you eat with it.
There are some people who claim that since couscous does not contain much fat or calories, it could be used in a diet plan. However, the same type of carbohydrate found in bread and pasta can also give someone an energy boost, which may lead them to overeat later.
Couscous is typically served with a sauce or stew, such as chicken tajine. It can be eaten alone, but the pasta-like nature of couscous makes it an easy option for substituting rice and other grains when trying to lose weight.
Couscous has more dietary fiber than wheat pasta or white potatoes, so it will fill you up faster and keep you feeling full longer. If you’re looking for a low-calorie food option with high fiber content (which helps boosts metabolism), try quinoa instead.
Why you should never boil instant couscous
There are many different types of couscous, but the most common form in the United States is instant couscous. Instant couscous is a quick and easy meal that can be prepared in less than 10 minutes.
People often think that boiling instant couscous is the best way to cook it. That’s because most people don’t know anything about cooking this grain. It’s not a standard dish in many homes and restaurants, so there isn’t much advice out there on how to prepare it.
The truth is, though, that when you boil your couscous for too long or at too high of a temperature, the texture changes from light and fluffy (perfect) to hard and chewy (not perfect).
Boiling can also cause some grains to clump together into one big blob rather than staying as individual pieces like they should be. This makes them harder to eat because once again they’re more difficult to break up with your fork.
The best way to cook couscous is in a pot of boiling water for about five minutes and then remove it from the heat.Although it’s convenient, many people don’t know the dangers of boiling instant couscous.
When you boil instant couscous, this creates an expanding foam that can quickly overflow from your pot or pan and cause a mess on your stove, floor or countertop.
A more traditional way of cooking couscous is on the stovetop with boiling water. Put the pasta a pot of boiling water and then remove it from heat after five minutes. It’s important to use a lot of water, as it not only cooks the grains but also helps them maintain their shape.
Another popular idea among cooks who want to make their life easier, but potentially compromise the quality of food they’re preparing, is microwaving your instant couscous instead.
However, while you may think that because steam will escape as with boiling instant couscous and therefore no foam will form when heated up in a microwave oven, you’re wrong.
Microwaves have venting systems built into them so all that curvy air doesn’t just disappear inside through vents on top or bottom. What not to do with couscous is microwave it in plastic bag (i.e., ziplock) – this causes chemicals from the packaging to leach into the ingredients.
