cous cous or khus khus?

Question

i am fascinated with moroccan cous cous, as ive tasted it in a restaurant, but im having difficulty of how to cook it and where i can find it, i saw and bought a pack of khus khus in an indian shop and cooked it similar to rice but it didn't cook well and i don't get what i expected it didnt grow in size and is not like couscous, can u explain more about cous cous... thanks

Answer 1

Moroccan couscous is different from the couscous served in Paris. French couscous is derived from the Algerian variation: the vegetables, the meat, the broth, and the grain are served to the diner on separate plates. Algerian couscous is good, strong in taste, and often flavored with sausage, but it lacks the subtleties of the Moroccan types, whose spices are delicately blended, whose broth is pure ambrosia, and whose variations are infinite and sublime. Tunisian couscous is spicy and robust, and the recipes with seafood and fish are excellent and have found some Moroccan admirers. But really no country—Algeria, Tunisia, France, Sicily, Brazil, or Senegal—can begin to approach the exalted heights of Moroccan seksu.
In parts of ^Morocco, for example, you can find couscous that is both spicy and sweet at the same time, the two contradictory tastes interacting and tantalizing the tongue. There is spicy couscous in which chili peppers and ground pepper is the predominating note, or the great classic sweet couscous of Fez, in which onions, raisins, chick-peas, and lamb are served together in perfect harmony. One can prepare Moroccan couscous in the Berber style, with chicken, turnips, and creamy milk or as a dessert with dates, cinnamon, and sugar. There is couscous with fish, wild turnips, and fennel stalks, as prepared in the coastal town of Essaouira; couscous with a lamb's head, fava beans, and carrots, as served on the day after the Festival of the Sacrifice of the Lamb (Aid el Kebir); or couscous with lamb, chicken, and seven vegetables in a great and spectacular modern variation. There are couscous dishes in the styles of Rabat, Marrakesh, Tangier, Tetuan, and other cities and regions, all of them so delicious that it is impossible to choose a favorite because the last one eaten always seems the best.
couscous

, Handling Couscous Grains( Page 136),
These are the master instructions for handling couscous, to be followed when indicated in the recipes. Though they look complicated, the principle behind them is very simple: all the wetting, drying, raking, aerating, and steaming of semolina grains is done with the purpose of swelling them with as much water as possible without allowing them to become lumpy or soggy. But you must be careful: the smaller and fresher the couscous grain, the less water is needed.
1. First washing and drying of couscous: Wash the couscous in a large, shallow pan by pouring water over the grain in a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part grain (that is, if the recipe calls for 2 cups of couscous, use 6 cups of water, and so on). Stir quickly with the hand and then drain off excess water through a sieve. Return the couscous grains to the pan, smooth them out, and leave them to swell for between 10 and 20 minutes. After roughly 10 minutes, begin, with cupped, wet hands, to work the grains by lifting up handfuls of grain, rubbing them gently and letting them fall back into the pan. This process should break up any lumps that may have formed. Then rake the couscous with your fingers to circulate it and help the grains to swell.
Note: Freshly rolled couscous is simply dampened and immediately steamed as directed in step 2.
2. First steaming of the couscous: Dampen a strip of cheesecloth, dust it with flour, and twist into a strip the length of the circumference of the rim of the bottom part of the couscousiere. Use this to seal the perforated top or colander on top of the pot. Check all sides for effective sealing: the top and bottom should fit snugly, so that steam rises only through the holes. The perforated top should not touch the broth below. Slowly dribble one-quarter of the swollen couscous grains into the steamer, allowing them to form a soft mound. Steam 5 minutes and gently add the remaining couscous. When all the grains are in the steamer, lower heat to moderate and steam 20 minutes. Do not cover the couscous while it steams.
136 Couscous,,,-'"




Recipe
Couscous from Rabat and Sale (Seksu Slaoui or Seksu Tafaya)
This sweet couscous is similar to the traditional couscous of Fez, and is excellent after a lemony chicken tagine or a spicy fish tagine. It is a classic dish in which the onions caramelize with sugar or honey, and the couscous grains are bright yellow from an additional touch of saffron just before serving.

INGREDIENTS
6 cups couscous (2 1/4 pounds)
2 pounds lamb neck, cut into 5 to 6 pieces
1 tablespoon salt 11/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 pinches pulverized saffron 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 large Spanish onions, quartered
1 cup sweet butter
3 sprigs green coriander, tied together with a thread (optional)
2 cinnamon sticks 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup honey or granulated sugar1/4 pound black raisins

EQUIPMENT
Large, shallow pan
Sieve
Mixing bowl
Couscousiere
Cheesecloth
Heavy-bottomed 3V^-quart
casserole with cover Perforated spoon Large serving dish
Working time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 2l/2 hours Serves: 10 to 12 (as part of a Moroccan dinner)

1. To prepare the couscous, follow step 1 (first washing and drying of couscous) in the master instructions (page 136).
2. To prepare the broth, place the lamb, 2 teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, a pinch of pulverized saffron, the turmeric, 1 quartered onion, 3 tablespoons of the sweet butter, the green coriander, and cinnamon sticks in the bottom of the couscousiere. Melt the butter over low heat, swirling the pan once or twice to let the spices and meat mix gently. Cover with 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour.



3. Meanwhile, slice the remaining quartered Spanish onions and place in the heavy-bottomed casserole with 21/2 cups water, cover tightly, and steam 5 minutes. Remove the cover and drain the onions well.
4. To prepare the glazed topping, when the lamb has cooked for 1 hour, transfer about 1 cup simmering broth to the heavy-bottomed casserole. (Add more water to the bottom of the couscousiere if necessary.) Put the drained onions, ground cinnamon, the remaining Vz teaspoon black pepper, the remaining teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons of the butter, and the honey or sugar in the casserole. Mix well to blend and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add the raisins, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
5. Follow steps 2 and 3 (first steaming and second drying of couscous) in the master instructions (page 136). (The broth has now cooked IVi hours.) Continue cooking over very gentle heat 30 minutes, adding water if necessary.
6. Meanwhile, remove the cover from the casserole and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions have reduced to a thick syrupy glaze. Set aside uncovered. Up to this point the dish can he prepared in advance.
7. Thirty minutes before serving, with wet hands break up lumps of couscous by working the grains lightly between your fingers. Bring the broth to a boil, reseal the steamer top, and steam the couscous 20 minutes. Reheat the onion glaze. Blend the remaining butter with the remaining pinch of pulverized saffron and dot the couscous with the tinted butter during the last 5 minutes of steaming. Dump the couscous onto the serving dish and toss well so that the couscous becomes a lovely pale yellow. Use a fork to smooth out any lumps. Spread out and form a well in the center of the couscous. Place the drained lamb in the well and cover with the glazed onions. Taste the broth for seasoning and readjust, then strain. Moisten the grain with the strained broth and serve at once.

Answer 2

There is no relationship between Mediterranean couscous (small grains of pasta) and the Indian term "khus khus", which just means plain old poppy seed.

Answer 3

Ainsley Harriot does great packets of Cous Cous which you add boiling water to and leave to absorb turns out lovely, many different flavours too! u get it in most supermarkets! try that!

I adore Cous Cous - had a tub already today lol

Answer 4

Cuscus Seeds

Answer 5

Couscous is sold at your local market. I buy the instant - Near East. Just posted a link and explanation a few minutes ago. You can purchase the reg, but it takes longer, and you need a special apparatus -- i.e. you can't cook it like rice.

Answer 6

Cous cous.

Answer 7

gross gross