Couscous
(Types of couscous clockwise from top: millet, corn, durum wheat semolina, bulgur wheat, burkukis and barley in the center)
A cookbook on Algerian cooking must begin with couscous. My family simply refers to it as ta'am Arabic for food or seksu the original Kabylie word for couscous. Elsewhere is is also called kesksou, more on this later
Couscous is the French spelling of Arabic kuskus, also called kuskusu.
Couscous refers to the grains that I listed or semolina 'pasta' that are steamed in a couscoussier as well as the finished dish. The Kabylie word for couscoussier is aseksut.
Paula Wolfert posted an excellent article about hand rolling couscous and I posted about steaming pre-made packaged couscous.
My aunt in Setif would made Bulgur wheat couscous especially for me. It's prepared the same way as dried durum wheat semolina couscous.
1) 4 cups of bulgur wheat and about 1/2 cup of cool water.
Use a circular raking motion to evenly moisten the grains
2) After 30 minutes of first steaming, add butter or high quality extra virgin olive oil, a tablespoon or so of salt to taste and 1/4 cup of cool water. Mix using a circular raking motion.
3) 30 more minutes of second steaming, add butter, a little more salt and about 1/4 cup of cool water.
Voila after 30 minutes of 3rd steaming.
Bulgur wheat couscous does not have the "melt in the mouth" creaminess of the super fine couscous we make in Eastern Algeria, but it has a delicious nuttiness. When properly steamed it should be fluffy with a bit of a bite "al dente" and is not mushy at all.
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