Surely many saw the sale of couscous. What is it? In fact, this is cereal from processed grains. It is generally accepted that they only use millet for the preparation of couscous, but this is not so. You can find both rice and oat products with the same name. By itself, this cereal is useful, has a number of useful properties. However, many are afraid of eating it because of the high calorie content and inability to cook. However, both are easily fixable. For example, cooking porridge takes a little time, it does not need a lot of ingredients. And if there is a moderate amount of couscous, then there will be no problems with calorie content.
Couscous: general information
Couscous - what is it? Previously, this type of cereal was produced manually, from crushed grains and flour. Now, of course, the process is automated. But it is a mistake to believe that because of processing in such a machine way, cereal has become less useful.
One hundred grams of this type of cereal accounts for 376 kilocalories. This is a fairly high figure. Therefore, do not lean on this type of cereal, it is worth dosing to use it. If a person monitors his weight, then you just need to enter the porridge from the couscous into your daily calorie content, that is, into the required calorie rate. It is also worth noting that the carbohydrates in the cereal break down longer without causing a jump in blood sugar, giving a feeling of fullness.
What is the use of this new cereal?
First of all, it is the elderly who should consume couscous. What does it mean? Due to its properties, porridge or a side dish from this cereal is easily digested, does not burden the stomach.
What else is the use of couscous? It contains many important and necessary substances for a person, for example, almost all B vitamins, as well as potassium and iron. Also, the use of this type of cereal allows you to normalize the salt balance in the human body. Also, the periodic use of couscous helps restore disturbed sleep.
It is also worth including cereals in your diet if there is a risk of early graying. Thanks to the presence of copper, this grits helps hair stay beautiful longer.
How to cook couscous?
The easiest way to make porridge from this interesting cereal requires only three ingredients: boiling water, cereal and salt. The grains are simply poured with boiling water in a one to one ratio, salted and left under the lid for fifteen minutes. During this time, grains absorb water and swell.
The second option for quick cereal is cooking. How to cook couscous in this way? Boil water, salt, add cereal, all in the same ratio, cook for about a couple of minutes and remove from the stove. You can also cook sweet porridge, replacing salt with granulated sugar or honey.
It is worth noting that many housewives are looking for secrets of making crumbly porridge. For example, you can grind it in raw form with vegetable oil. You can also boil the couscous grits, and then fry for a couple of minutes in a dry frying pan. It will also give the dish a more friable structure.
Delicious porridge with milk: a detailed description and recipe
To prepare porridge for milk you need to take:
- a glass of couscous;
- 1.25 liters of baked milk;
- butter;
- sugar and salt.
You can also add cinnamon or vanillin to taste. They will add flavor to porridge. However, much depends on taste preferences.
Boil milk, add a little salt, sugar and butter to taste. Fall asleep groats. When the mass boils, leave the porridge under the lid, remove from the stove. Mix thoroughly before serving.
Tasty Chicken Fillet
In order to cook couscous with vegetables and chicken, you need to take:
- a glass of cereal;
- 300 grams of chicken;
- two tomatoes;
- two bell peppers;
- one carrot;
- onion head;
- 400 milliliters of broth;
- dried basil;
- salt and pepper to taste.
To begin with, the peppers are washed, cut into two halves and baked in the oven so that the crust begins to darken. Thus prepared vegetable is easy to peel. It is removed gently, leaving the pulp.
Cooking a delicious meal
A little vegetable oil is poured into the pan. It is better to choose a stewpan or a frying pan with high sides. Onions and carrots are cut into circles and fried on both sides. Wash the chicken, cut into cubes and add to the onion with carrots.
Tomatoes are peeled, cut into cubes, similarly with bell pepper. Quickly peel tomatoes allows boiling water. After pouring tomatoes for five minutes, you can quickly remove the skin. They shift everything to the chicken, sprinkle with spices, fill it with broth and stew until the meat is ready.
Then the line of cereals. Couscous is poured to the rest of the ingredients, boiled for a couple of minutes, and then removed from the heat. Allow the dish to stand for about ten minutes under the lid. It is better to mix couscous periodically. What will it give? First of all, this will help porridge to become more crumbly. And in the second - to absorb all the tastes of vegetables and meat.
Tasty soup with two kinds of cabbage
Couscous recipes are varied. Such a quick soup is not only tasty, but also healthy. To prepare it, you need to take:
- 150 grams of cauliflower;
- as much broccoli;
- a glass of cereal;
- 50 grams of feta cheese;
- salt and pepper;
- a bunch of fresh herbs.
This diet soup is very easy to prepare. Pour water into the pan, put salt and spices. Lay the inflorescences of both types of cabbage, cook until tender. After this, pour the cereal, mix thoroughly and remove from heat.
When serving, put in each plate a little finely chopped cheese and herbs.
Spicy oriental dessert
Not everyone knows what kind of grits it is - couscous and what desserts you can make with it. For cooking take:
- 400 grams of granulated sugar;
- 150 grams of honey;
- three kilograms of boiled cereal;
- 400 ml of water;
- fruit to taste.
For this recipe, you can take both fresh and dried fruits, add nuts to taste.
First, prepare syrup from water, honey and sugar. All these ingredients are cooked together until the mass becomes thick. Dried fruits are pre-soaked in water, finely chopped. Also chopped nuts or candied fruits.
Mix cereals, syrup, other ingredients, spread on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Put in the oven for thirty minutes at a temperature of 150 degrees. Such a dessert should be monitored, a crust should form on it.
Salad with cereals: tasty and original
With couscous, you can also cook a delicious and original salad. Such a dish can be served both cold and warm. The taste of this will not get worse.
To prepare a salad, take the following products:
- 150 ml of broth, vegetable, chicken or meat;
- a bunch of cilantro;
- a bunch of parsley;
- one hundred grams of cereal;
- fifty milliliters of olive oil;
- three cloves of garlic;
- two small eggplant;
- some apple cider vinegar;
- salt, pepper and other spices to taste.
Boil the broth, pour cereal in it, leave for ten minutes to insist. Eggplants are washed, peeled, cut into circles. In a small amount of oil, fry on both sides.
Finely chop the cilantro and parsley, rub the garlic, combine the two ingredients with salt, pepper and vinegar and grind together.
Eggplant is mixed with prepared cereals, poured with a sauce of herbs and garlic.
Sweet porridge with dried apricots
From sweet couscous you can also cook sweet cereals. For cooking take:
- one carrot;
- two hundred grams of dry cereal;
- two glasses of water;
- fifty grams of butter;
- 50 grams of raisins;
- as many dried apricots and prunes.
To start, at the bottom of the pan melt the butter. Carrots are rubbed on a fine grater, added to the oil and fried, stirring for about ten minutes.
Dried fruits are pre-poured with boiling water for five minutes, then squeezed and introduced to the carrot. Pour cereals, pour water. Stirring periodically, cook porridge for twenty minutes under a lid, over low heat. Similarly, you can cook such a dish in a slow cooker.
Croup with an interesting name "couscous" is not known to many. However, it is worth introducing it into your diet. It contains many useful elements, for example, iron and potassium. Also, croup has a beneficial effect on the metabolism and nervous system of a person. You can cook a lot with cereals, for example, a delicious dessert or sweet cereal. Couscous with vegetables and chicken is also very tasty. In any case, porridge is cooked quickly and simply, for which hostesses love it.