Friday 30 September 2022

Steamed Couscous

Learning how to steam couscous was a revelation. I'd only ever had it prepared according to package directions. It's fine this way. I still make instant couscous a lot of the time. It's quick, easy, and convenient and the results are pretty good. That said, if you want really nice couscous, you can't beat steaming!

These instructions are written for 450g of instant couscous. If you manage to find hand-rolled/non-instant couscous somewhere, it will need slighlty different handling. The instructions for hand-rolled couscous can be found below the instant instructions. I've also given instructions for several other types of couscous.

Wolfert advises that if you're dealing with more than 450g of couscous, you can scale up the water by 50% and add 5 minutes to each round of steaming. I would be seriously inclined to say that if you're planning on cooking more than half a kilo of couscous in one go... don't. Unless you're making dinner for a group of a dozen or more and/or couscous will be the only dish on offer, you probably don't actually need that much couscous.

Steamed Instant Couscous

Slightly adapted from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert

Ingredients

  • 450g instant couscous
  • 4 c. water or 3 1/2 c. water + 1/2 c. milk, divided
  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • butter and/or ghee (varies by recipe)
  • up to 1 c. broth (varies by recipe)

Directions

  1. Fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a boil.
  2. Place couscous in a large wide and shallow pan or very large plate, cover with 2 c. of water and allow to sit for 1 minute.
  3. After 1 minute, stir and pour off any remaining water.
  4. Toss the grains gently to break up any lumps. Rake the grains with your fingers (or a whisk) to allow them to swell.
  5. Line a steamer (or the top of a couscousier) with cheesecloth.
  6. Set the lined steamer over the pot of boiling water, being sure that no steam is leaking out the sides.
  7. Transfer the couscous to the lined steamer and steam, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  8. Use the cheesecloth to transfer the couscous to the pan/plate.
  9. Spread the grains with a whisk and sprinkle with 1 c. of cold water (or 1/2 c. cold water + 1/2 c. milk).
  10. Toss with salt and oil.
  11. Stir and rake the grains to gently break up any lumps.
  12. Allow to dry for 10 minutes.
  13. Place the cheesecloth back in the steamer and transfer the couscous back to the lined steamer.
  14. Steam, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.
  15. Transfer back into the pan/plate and repeat the whisking and raking process, sprinkling in the last 1 c. of water.
  16. Toss and stir to break up any lumps.
  17. If necessary, at this point the couscous can be covered with a damp cloth and held for several hours before the final steaming.
  18. Whisk the grains again, breaking up any lumps with whisk and/or wet fingers.
  19. Bring the water in the bottom of the steamer/couscousier to a boil.
  20. Line the top of the steamer with cheesecloth and transfer the couscous back into the lined steamer.
  21. Steam, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  22. Transfer the couscous to a wide serving dish and toss with butter and ghee (amounts will vary depending on the exact recipe you are making).
  23. Gradually add up to 1 c. of broth to the couscous.
  24. Toss one more time, again breaking up any lumps.
  25. Let stand for 10 minutes, then add any desired toppings and garnishes.


Variations

Steamed Hand-Rolled Couscous

Ingredients

  • 450g hand-rolled couscous
  • 3 1/2 c. water (or 3 c. water + 1/2 c. milk), divided
  • 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • butter and/or ghee
  • up to 1 1/2 c. broth

Directions

  1. Place the couscous in a fine mesh strainer and quickly moisten under running water.
  2. Dump into a wide and shallow pan/plate, spread/smooth out the grains, and allow to rest/swell for 5 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle in 1/2 c. of the water and allow to sit for 5 more minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a boil.
  5. Line a steamer (or the top of a couscousier) with cheesecloth.
  6. Set the lined steamer over the pot of boiling water, being sure that no steam is leaking out the sides.
  7. Transfer the couscous to the lined steamer and steam, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  8. Use the cheesecloth to transfer the couscous to the pan/plate.
  9. Spread the grains with a whisk and sprinkle with 1 c. of cold water (or 1/2 c. cold water + 1/2 c. milk).
  10. Toss with salt and oil.
  11. Stir and rake the grains to gently break up any lumps.
  12. Allow to dry for 10 minutes.
  13. Place the cheesecloth back in the steamer and transfer the couscous back to the lined steamer.
  14. Steam, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.
  15. Transfer back into the pan/plate and repeat the whisking and raking process, sprinkling in the last 1 c. of water.
  16. Toss and stir to break up any lumps.
  17. Repeat the steaming process once more: steaming for 20 minutes, tossing with 1 c. of water, and then resting for 10 minutes.
  18. If necessary, at this point the couscous can be covered with a damp cloth and held for several hours before the final steaming.
  19. Whisk the grains again, breaking up any lumps with whisk and/or wet fingers.
  20. Bring the water in the bottom of the steamer/couscousier to a boil.
  21. Line the top of the steamer with cheesecloth and transfer the couscous back into the lined steamer.
  22. Steam, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  23. Transfer the couscous to a wide serving dish and toss with butter and ghee (amounts will vary depending on the exact recipe you are making).
  24. Gradually add up to 1 1/2 c. of broth to the couscous.
  25. Toss one more time, again breaking up any lumps.
  26. Let stand for 10 minutes, then add any desired toppings and garnishes.

Steamed Cracked Barley

These instructions are for coarse cracked barley or scotch barley.

Ingredients

  • 4 c. (680g) cracked/scotch barley
  • 8 c. water, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 2-3 Tbsp. ghee

Directions

  1. Pour 6 c. of water over the cracked parley, stir, then drain off the excess water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
  2. Fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a boil.
  3. Butter the inside of a steamer (or the top of a couscousier).
  4. Squeeze the barley to extract all excess water.
  5. Add the barley to the top of the steamer slowly, rubbing the grains between your palms as you transfer it.
  6. Steam, covered, for 20 minutes.
  7. Dump the barley out into a wide pan/plate and break up any lumps with a fork or whisk.
  8. Toss with the butter.
  9. Very slowly add 2 c. of water. It should take 3-4 minutes to add all the water and you will need to toss and rake the grains the entire time to help keep them separate and allow them to swell.
  10. Toss again, then allow to dry for 10-15 minutes.
  11. Steam, covered, for 20 more minutes.
  12. Dump the grains back into the pan/plate and break up any lumps with a fork or whisk.
  13. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Rake and toss occasionally during this time to stop them from becoming lumpy. Do not add any water this time.
  14. Transfer the barley back into the steamer and steam, covered, for 10 more minutes.
  15. Dump the barley into a serving dish and toss with ghee.

Steamed Barley Grits

These instructions are for fine cracked barley, barley grits, or barley couscous.

Ingredients

  • 450g barley grits1
  • 1 c. water
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 3/4 c. salted water2
  • ghee (varies by recipe)

Directions

  1. Dampen the barley grits with ~1 c. of water. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a boil.
  3. Line a steamer (or the top of a couscousier) with cheesecloth.
  4. Transfer the barley grits to the lined steamer and steam, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  5. Dump the grains into a wide and shallow pan and break up any lumps with a fork or whisk.
  6. Toss with the butter or olive oil.
  7. Very slowly add the salted water. It should take 2-3 minutes to add it and you will need to rake and toss the grains constantly.
  8. Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes.
  9. Place the cheesecloth back in the steamer and transfer the grits back into the lined steamer. Steam, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.
  10. Transfer the grits back to the pan/plate and break up any lumps.
  11. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, raking and tossing occasionally to prevent lumps. Do not add any more water.
  12. If necessary, the grits may be covered with a damp cloth and held for several hours before the final steaming.
  13. About 30 minutes before serving, transfer the grits back into the lined steamer and steam, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  14. Dump the grits into a serving dish and toss with ghee.
  15. Add any toppings or garnish and pour over sauce or broth and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Steamed Corn Grits

These instructions are for corn couscous or coarse stone-ground corn grits.

Ingredients

  • 680g corn grits
  • 7 1/2 c. water, divided
  • 3 Tbsp. argan oil or unsalted butter or olive oil, divided
  • salt
  • black pepper or white pepper
  • up to 2 c. broth

Directions

  1. Fill a deep pot (or the bottom of a couscousier) with water and bring to a boil.
  2. Lightly grease the inside of a steamer (or the top of a couscousier) with a neutral oil.
  3. Moisten the grits with 1/2 c. of the water and toss until fully absorbed.
  4. Add another 1/2 c. of water an allow to sit for 10 minutes.
  5. Slowly add another 1/2 c. of water, spread the grits out, and allow to sit for ~5 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. of the argan oil (or melted butter or olive oil) and toss and rub the grains to coat evenly.
  7. Transfer grits to steamer and steam, covered, for 45 minutes.
  8. Dump the grits into a wide and shallow pan and whisk to break up any lumps.
  9. While tossing with the whisk, add 1 c. of lukewarm water.
  10. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  11. Toss with 1 more c. of water.
  12. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  13. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
  14. Toss with another 1 c. of water.
  15. Transfer grits back into steamer and steam, covered, for another 45 minutes.
  16. Dump grits back into the pan/plate and repeat whisking and moistening procedure3 and toss with 1 more Tbsp. of the butter or oil.
  17. Grits can be covered with a damp cloth and held this way for several hours if necessary.
  18. Before serving, bring the water back to a boil and transfer the grits back into the steamer. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.
  19. Dump the grits into a serving dish and toss with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil or butter.
  20. Break up any lumps and toss with the broth.
  21. Top and garnish as directed by recipe.


1 Wolfert doesn't specify how much barley this recipe is for. I'm guessing that it's written for 450g of barley based on the fact that her master couscous recipe was also written for 1 lb. of grains. But that is just a guess as I haven't actually tried any of the barley recipes yet. Back
2 Wolfert also doesn't specify how much salt goes into the "salt water". I'd probably start with 1 tsp. and go from there. Back
3 Wolfert says to "repeat step 3" which, in her version of the recipe covers all three additions of water after the first steaming. Given that, I assume that you would add another 3 c. of water here. That seems like an awful lot of water. But I guess corn is pretty absorbent (cf. polenta). Back
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