Couscous

North Africa · grain · comfort food · cooking

Tiny wheat balls. Couscous is made from semolina, which is coarsely ground wheat. The wheat is rolled into teeny tiny granules that look almost like sand, then steamed until fluffy and light.

Stew's perfect partner. Couscous is almost always served with a stew spooned right on top. The soft granules soak up all the delicious flavors from vegetables, meat, and spices in the stew.

West African cousins. In West Africa, cooks make similar dishes using pearl millet or sorghum instead of wheat, and these are sometimes called couscous too. Different regions use whatever grains grow best where they live.

Quick and easy. Couscous cooks much faster than rice or other grains because the granules are so small. It can be ready to eat in just a few minutes.