Steamed semolina grains that form the staple of North African cooking, with a shared heritage formally recognised by four Maghreb countries together.
A Berber staple
Couscous originates with the Amazigh (Berber) peoples of North Africa, and it has been a staple across the Maghreb for many centuries. It is not a grain in itself but a product made from grain: semolina wheat, moistened and rolled by hand until it forms tiny pellets, then dried.
In 2020 UNESCO added the knowledge and practices around couscous to its intangible cultural heritage list, in an unusual joint nomination submitted by Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. The shared listing was widely welcomed as a diplomatic gesture in a region where culinary claims can be competitive.
Traditionally the rolling was communal women's work, done in large quantities and dried in the sun for storage. Industrial couscous is now the norm for everyday cooking, but hand-rolled grain is still prepared for important occasions and is noticeably finer in texture.
Steamed, never boiled
Authentic couscous is steamed, not boiled, and it is steamed more than once. The pot used is a couscoussier: a two-tier vessel in which a stew simmers below and perforated basket above lets the aromatic steam pass through the grains.
Between steamings the grain is turned out, sprinkled with water and a little oil, and raked through with the fingers to separate every pellet and break up clumps. Repeating this two or three times produces couscous that is light and separate rather than a dense mass.
The instant couscous sold in supermarkets is pre-steamed and only needs soaking in hot liquid. It is a genuine convenience but produces a heavier, less airy result than the traditional method.
The stew on top
The grain is a vehicle for whatever simmers beneath it: lamb, chicken or fish with chickpeas and a rotation of vegetables — carrot, turnip, courgette, pumpkin — in a broth seasoned according to region. Moroccan versions lean sweet and aromatic, sometimes with raisins and caramelised onion; Tunisian versions are markedly hotter, with harissa.
It is classically a Friday dish, served after midday prayers, and it is presented communally on a single large platter with the grain heaped up and the meat and vegetables arranged on top. Broth is ladled over at the table, and a fiery harissa is passed separately for those who want it.
