How To Cook Couscous + Chicken Couscous
Submitted by brianjwood on October 20, 2002 at 7:57 am

DESCRIPTION
How To Cook Couscous + Chicken Couscous

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Family / Ethnic / Regional

INSTRUCTIONS
Couscous is a jewel of North African cooking, a very tasty cuisine indeed. Enjoy!
Cheers, Brian

Couscous North-West Africa

There are several ways of steaming and softening this form of semolina wheat that is a base for north African stews. The preferred method is to use a couscousiere. If you have one, we'll assume you know how to use it. If you - don't have one, here's how to proceed.
Get dry couscous grain in an ethnic or gourmet grocery or a natural foods store. Allow 2 oz. per person for a meal. Pour the couscous into a large bowl and cover it with cold water. Stir, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then scrape the damp grain out onto a clean absorbent cloth such as a linen dish towel. (If all the water hasn't been soaked up, you should
drain it off first.) Leave the grain to swell for 15 minutes. If you prefer, you can leave the grains in the bowl, but as they are more confined - they may not become quite as fluffy.
Now you must find a way to steam the couscous. A colander that will sit part way down into a pot, without sinking to the bottom, can become a home made couscousiere. But if your colander, like most, has holes too large to prevent the couscous grains from falling through, you must line it with a
clean, porous cloth. When everything is ready, bring water in the pot to a boil, and steam the couscous, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Now the couscous must swell and steam a second time, but with slight variations. Once again, put it into a bowl or onto the towel. Sprinkle cold water over it - perhaps half a cup for every pound of couscous - and rub grains between your fingers to break up any lumps that have formed. After it has sat for 10 minutes, rub some oil onto your hands and rework the grains with your fingers. (For special occasions, use butter to grease and separate the grains.)
Finally, steam the couscous for 25 more minutes, and serve hot. There is nothing complicated about this process, but it does take some time. If it sounds too ambitious, try the packaged, pre-cooked grain that is widely available where couscous is sold, and follow the simple directions on the box. True connoisseurs argue, no doubt correctly, that you will never know
what real couscous tastes like unless you steam your own. We must confess, though, that we have resorted to the "instant" kind often and found it acceptable!
from The Africa News Cookbook

Chicken Cous Cous
Serves 4-6.
This Algerian version of couscous with chicken is relatively
simple to prepare.

1 chicken, cut into pieces
1/4 Cup olive oil
2 tbsp. clarified butter
1 onion, sliced in rounds
1 large ripe tomato
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dry chickpeas, soaked overnight
couscous

Unless you are using a couscousiere, combine chicken, oil, butter, onion, tomato, pepper, cinnamon stick, and salt in a large, heavy pot. Stir over medium heat to coat and brown the chicken. After about 5 minutes, cover with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Toss in the chickpeas, then simmer, covered, 30-40 minutes until chicken is tender. Remove the chicken pieces
and set them aside. Continue to cook the mixture in the pot until chickpeas are tender, perhaps another 1 1/2 hours. Add more water, if necessary, to retain roughly the same level. When chickpeas are done, return the chicken to the pot to heat
through. To serve in a traditional manner, distribute the couscous in a large bowl or platter with curved edges, and ladle on as much liquid from the stew as the couscous will absorb. Pile chicken in the centre, and finish by ladling chickpeas and sauce over all.