From Morocco to Tunisia to Lebanon to Mauritania to Egypt to France to its many culinary cuisines, many cultures have such a unique twist on couscous that it is now part of the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

How did this dish travel and evolve around the world?  How is it cooked in kitchens?

According to Chef Hassan Mohamed, the ingredients of couscous are one in all the culinary cuisines, as it is, is made from semolina flour with durum wheat and mixed with water and salt. 

Hassan added that the difference is how it is prepared and served in each country’s cuisine.  And he continued, that couscous is prepared differently in each country, some prefer it in savory dishes, with meat, poultry, or fish, and others prefer sweet Couscous. 

Tunisian Couscous:

Tunisians love spicy food, or at least most of them do, Traditionally, couscous is made hot, couscous can also be prepared with various spices and spice blends, It usually includes coriander, caraway, garlic, and chili powder at a minimum.

However, Tunisian couscous has some characteristics that distinguish it from Algerian and Moroccan couscous.

First, the Tunisian couscous sauce is always red, due to the tomato or tomato sauce used.

Also, in Tunisia;  because of the commitment of the Tunisian cuisine to vegetables and hot spices, unlike the Egyptian cuisine, it does not adhere to a certain way of presenting this dish, and the popularity of the couscous dish in the Tunisian kitchen is high because couscous can be prepared and served in any meal because of its diversity.

Chef Hassan continued, "The savory Egyptian couscous is cooked with duck or meat soup, and is served as an alternative to white rice or pasta, next to soup and boiled meat or meat with butter."

He added, "But about the way the Tunisian couscous is served with food, should be "Tunisian Couscous is prepared with Lamb, a variety of vegetables and spices..."

And also, "In addition to all this, a cabbage dish is served alongside meat with vegetables."

The chef said through the presentation that the couscous is placed in a large dish and decorated with vegetables in a circular shape, and the meat is placed in the middle of the dish, in addition to the red sauces”. 

Egyptian Couscous:

The Couscous in Egypt is served sweet or savory, but most people in Cairo only know of the sweet Couscous. However, Couscous cooked with meat and poultry is commonly known in Sharqia.

Moheba Sami, a housewife from Sharqia, said, "The couscous in Egypt is served with sweet and savory, but most of the people of Cairo do not eat it except sweet, but it is common in Sharqia that it is eaten savory and served with salt with meat and birds."

She added, "Some street vendors sell Couscous with sugar in ready-to-eat boxes, often with milk, as dessert."

Marcelina Ezzat, a nutritionist, "Egyptian couscous is considered a carbohydrate for the body, but with sugar added to it, it becomes completely unhealthy." 

She explained that "the Tunisian couscous contains several nutrients for the body. It is a meal that is full of calories, but it is useful, as you would not mind eating it every once in a while."

And she continued, "Among its useful components, it contains onions, which contain antioxidants, and also contains substances that help reduce cholesterol in the body, and the zucchini inside gives vitamin C and improves heart health, and also, meat is a protein, and red pepper strengthens the immune system because it contains vitamin  A and vitamin D, and potatoes improve digestion because they contain vitamin B12”. 

Couscous arrived in France, in the days of the French occupation of North Africa, but they did not adopt the Arab country's way of cooking, and they changed some things with it as it generally includes many slices of meat, not traditional at all as in Morocco and Tunisia, which is prepared with one type of meat.  It is now known in France as "royal couscous".

Tunisian couscous ingredients:

2 kilos of sheep meat, cut into large pieces

6 cups of fine semolina couscous

 2 onions, finely chopped

 2 garlic cloves, pressed

 4 tablespoons of tomato paste

 Two tablespoons of harissa

 Two tablespoons of ground caraway

 1 tablespoon ground coriander

 1 teaspoon chili powder

 4 turnips, cut in half

 6 medium carrots, peeled

 4 zucchini, peeled lengthwise, alternating leaving a layer of skin on

 6 small potatoes, peeled

 10 chickpeas

 4 green chilies, sautéed in oil (optional)

 vegetable oil

 salt

 pepper

Preparation Instructions:

-Add ½ cup (120 ml) of oil to a large frying pan.  Fry the onions over medium heat for two minutes.

-Add garlic, tomato paste, and harissa and continue frying for two minutes.

-Add the caraway, coriander, and chili powder.  Mix and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.

-Add the lamb and stir well until the pieces are covered with the sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

-Cover with water, Add turnip and carrots and cook over low/medium heat for 45 minutes.

-In the meantime, prepare the semolina couscous with boiling water, salt, and oil, where the couscous is placed in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and mix with your hands/fingers, making sure each small ball is coated with oil, this will make the couscous not stick together while steaming.  Add about 1/4 cup of water and mix again, the couscous should be moist to the touch - not soaked.

-After 45 minutes, add the zucchini, potatoes, and chickpeas.

-Cook for at least another 30 to 40 minutes over low to medium heat.

-Watch the cooking of the vegetables. If some of the vegetables are cooked before the meat, remove them from the pan and put them on a serving plate. Continue in the same way with all vegetables to prevent them from overcooking. 

-Once all the vegetables and meat are cooked, remove the couscous and place it in a large bowl.  Then using the steamer bowl, pour the sauce into it.  This should separate the sauce and the vegetables. The sauce goes with the couscous and the vegetables remain in the pot.

-Mix gently with a large spoon then cover the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Then open the bowl, mix again and see if more liquid should be added.

_* I advise you to taste the couscous for this step.

-Arrange the couscous in a large tagine pot.

-Garnish the plate with vegetables and meat all over.

-Garnish with fried green chili (optional).

-You can decorate with chickpeas (optional).

Egyptian sweet couscous ingredients:

1 cup plain couscous

1 1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided into two

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup raisins (regular or golden)

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Brown sugar

Shredded coconut to taste

How to prepare Egyptian couscous with nuts:

- In a medium-sized pot, bring water and 1 tbsp. of butter to a boil.

- Add in couscous, and boil for 1 minute.

- Cover and remove from heat. Let cook for 10 minutes.

- After, fluff the couscous with a fork. Add powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. butter, and continue fluffing until it is mixed well.

- Mix in cinnamon and brown sugar, and top with coconut flakes, sliced almonds, and raisins. Add other nuts or fruits to your liking. Serve while warm.