Couscous (originally called seksu or kesksu) is now becoming a favourite at home because it is a light and wonderful substitute for rice when I don’t feel like cooking rice at all. It is popular in North Africa, Egypt and the Middle East and is made from millet, barley, or cornmeal. This is also a great choice because it has a low fat-calorie ratio. Each 1 cup serving (100 grams) contains about 112 calories, 3.8 grams of protein, 1.4 grams of dietary fiber, and 58 mg of potassium.
Recently, I have grown to love cooking couscous, especially using it as a substitute in some of my dishes. Although couscous is not considered gluten-free because of the semolina, depending on the grain it is derived from it can be gluten free as well. Its versatility and texture calls for much creativity in the dishes and now inspires me with ideas to incorporate into a number of traditional recipes.
Yeah ah know yuh does get bored with rice all de time ent? 🙂
This is good news, especially for those who follow a healthy diet and would like to try something a little different than the traditional foods for a change. The best way to think of couscous is like little grains of pasta then move on from there. Because of its grainy look and feel it also substitutes well for rice too. If you keep that in mind the ideas for dishes where you can use it will come to mind. I must say that couscous can be a welcomed addition to your repertoire of cooking, once mastered, especially if you are searching for variety and versatility in your meals.
Now, a pack of couscous is not cheap, but it yields very well. One cup soaked couscous would yield a little more than 2 cups; and cooked would yield as much as 2 1/2 cups. I got the idea of making a couscous pie from Mrs. Trevene Hope, a fan of the blog, and just thought I should roll with it. Actually, she made a quinoa pie, but I didn’t have much of that grain at the time so I opted to experiment with couscous instead. Maybe a quinoa pie will be in the pipeline soon now that I’ve mastered this wonderful ingredient lol!
This pie is prepared in a similar way as you would prepare one of my favourite pies, corn pie. It turned out to be remarkably tasty and cuts smoothly with a knife almost like coo coo.
Recipe for Couscous Pie
COUSCOUS PIE
2 cups couscous
3 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 large sweet peppers, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
4 pimento peppers, finely chopped
2 cups grated cheese
2 tbsp salted butter
1 cup evaporated milk (we used the Carnation brand)
1 tsp. black pepper or white pepper
1 tin (425 g/15 oz) cream style corn
Place the two cups of couscous in a deep bowl.
Add water (enough to cover it) at room temperature,
and leave to soak for 10 – 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
In a deep pot, saute the onion in butter until translucent.
Stir in the rest of vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the milk and heat for 2 more minutes. Remove.
Mix together the couscous, cream style corn…
…egg, sauteed vegetables and black pepper…
Add 1 cup of cheese.
Mix well.
Pour into a baking dish, 12″ x 8″ x2″.
Top with the remaining cup of cheese.
Bake in an oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden and the cheese bubbles.
Couscous Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups couscous
- 3 medium-sized onions finely chopped
- 2 1/2 large sweet peppers finely chopped
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 pimento peppers finely chopped
- 2 cups grated cheese
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup evaporated milk we used the Carnation brand
- 1 tsp. black pepper or white pepper
- 1 tin 425 g/15 oz cream style corn
Instructions
- Place the two cups of couscous in a deep bowl.
- Add water (enough to cover the couscous) at room temperature,
- and leave to soak for 10 – 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
- In a deep pot, saute the onion in butter until translucent.
- Stir in the rest of vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the milk and heat for 2 more minutes. Remove.
- Mix together the couscous, cream style corn egg, sauteed vegetables and black pepper.
- Add 1 cup of cheese. Mix well.
- Pour into a baking dish, 12″ x 8″ x2″.
- Top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake in an oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden and the cheese bubbles.
I can only describe this pie with one word; Delicious.
Ah gone 🙂
Meh mouth watering
Looks delicious. I am trying to replace rice and keeping to a plant based diet this week (at least ah tryin eh). I will try this.
Yummy
Looks Delish
yummy
I didn’t realise there were other forms of couscous because the only couscous I have ever seen is actually made of wheat/semolina, so of course not gluten-free. Where did you get the other kind?
Yes, there are different forms of couscous, for example pearl couscous and millet. The only forms of gluten free are the millet and corn, so the buyer must read the label carefully if they are on a gluten-free diet.
Interesting recipe. Will surely try it.
Just discard some cous cous cause of no taste but will definitely try this
Oh lawdyyyy….couscous on it’s own doesn’t taste very bland but you can always add veggies, sesame oil etc and make it up like ah fried rice….then it’s yummy.
I followed directions on pack lol but I made delicious corn pie so tomorrow’s couscous pie lol
Couscous pie really delicious I did it
Well this is a totally new take on couscous that I’ve never seen before! Love the look of it 🙂
Agreed; I’ve been familiar with couscous for years and never thought to make it like this. Thanks Felix.
Have to give this a try
I tried this dish, it was easy to follow and the end product was lovely. Will definitely add this to my side dishes. I also mixed some quinoa in, was lovely.
Thank you Chachay for trying the recipe.
O.M.G i want to taste!
This is such an excellent idea!
A tasty one too lol 🙂
I wonder if I can just use corn meal and turn it into cou cou
It wouldn’t be coo coo when you’re done. It will be your own creation.