Can you make couscous in a rice cooker?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question “ can you make couscous in a rice cooker?” With an in-depth analysis of the reason, how can we make couscous in a rice cooker? Moreover, we will also discuss the nutritional status of the couscous made in rice cookers and the methods involved in preparing it.

Can you make couscous in a rice cooker?

Yes, like all other forms of rice couscous can be made in a rice cooker. All the ingredients and seasonings should be added to the rice cooker and settings tuned at the optimum requirement of time and temperature, cook the best couscous in a rice cooker.

What is couscous?

Couscous is a North African dish of small steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina that is traditionally served with a stew spooned on top. Pearl millet and sorghum, especially in the Sahel, and other cereals can be cooked similarly and the resulting dishes are also sometimes called couscous.

What are the main ingredients used in making couscous?

Semolina is the main ingredient of couscous along with other spices and seasonings.

What is couscous made of?

Although couscous looks like a grain, it’s particularly a form of pasta. It’s made with semolina flour from durum wheat, mixed with water. 

Types of couscous:

There are three different types of couscous: 

• Moroccan, which is the smallest on size;
• Israeli or pearl couscous, which is about the size of peppercorns 
• Lebanese, the largest.

What is the traditional method of making couscous?

Couscous is traditionally made from the hard part of the durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the millstone. The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved.

Is couscous more enriched with nutrients than rice?

In comparison to white rice, couscous has a greater number of nutrients such as Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, and plenty of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, etc. 

Is couscous more health packed than rice?

In the context of providing energy or calories, couscous provides the same amount of calories as that of rice but in contrast to nutritional composition, couscous provides more quantity of micronutrients than rice. so, due to this, it can be said that couscous is healthier than rice.

Is couscous pasta or rice?

Apart from popular belief, couscous is pasta, not a grain. With its rice-like appearance, it’s easy to understand where the misconception comes from. Couscous is a traditional staple of North African cuisine, made from a mix of semolina, wheat flour, and water.

You can read how to make couscous here.

How to cook couscous in a rice cooker?

Couscous can be cooked in a rice cooker by setting the rice cooker on the “white rice” setting.

1. Take the desired amount of raw couscous.
2. Add water and raw couscous to the rice cooker.
3. Set the rice cooker at white rice setting
4. Use 1½ cups liquid per cup of couscous, so the couscous doesn’t dry out in the rice cooker.
5. Add seasonings along with salt in the water.
6. If using broth rather than water, no need to add other seasonings to your couscous.
7. As soon as the rice cooker stops, your couscous is ready.

Vegan couscous rice cooker recipe. 

Although most couscous recipes use chicken broth, it’s super easy to make a fully vegan couscous dish.

Instead of chicken broth, use vegan vegetable broth or water seasoned with salt, black pepper, and/or ginger, garlic, and spices. Plain water leads to bland couscous, if not added additional seasonings.

Use olive oil instead of butter to add fat, and serve with a vegetable stew traditionally, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, squash, and tomato.

Method: 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of couscous
• 2 cups of low sodium  vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions:

• Add couscous, olive oil, and vegetable, and broth to the inner pot of the rice cooker.
• Stir the ingredients, close the lid and press the white rice button.
• The timer will count down 10 minutes of cooking time.
• After the time is finished, the timer will stop.
• Open the lid, stir the couscous again and dish it out in the serving dish.

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we have answered the question “ can you make couscous in a rice cooker?” with an in-depth analysis of the reason how can we make couscous in a rice cooker? Moreover, we have also discussed the nutritional status of the couscous made in the rice cooker and the methods involved in preparing it.

Citations:

https://www.herewearewithluci.com/2009/09/the-rice-cooker-the-easy-answer-to-cook-brown-rice-couscous-and-oatmeal-in-minutes.html

Cooking couscous in a rice cooker? from AskCulinary

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/couscous-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6