September 26, 2009: The Couscous Experiment - Stage I

Recently a marketer representing a nutrient fellowship offered us roughly samples of a novel construct of couscous. Couscous is non something nosotros purpose an awful lot of together with I wasn't certain I could fairly assess or review it every bit a stand-alone product; we'd rather non ship service almost foods that nosotros wouldn't purpose or willingly pay for ourselves. But every bit a scientist yesteryear day, it didn't accept me long to devise a serial of trials, whereby nosotros could essay this production other couscous options available to the domicile cook.

Let me run you lot through our contenders.

Product #1. This is the measure diversity of couscous that's been available at supermarkets for years (aka North African or Moroccan couscous, I think). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 500g box goes for $2.39 at our nearest supermarket (that's $4.78/kg) together with the only element is 'durum wheat semolina flour'.

Product #2. This is the novel couscous on the block, the 'pearl' diversity (aka Israeli couscous, every bit far every bit I tin sack tell). Our friendly marketer tells me it retails at $3.29 for 250g ($13.16/kg) at major supermarkets together with roughly delis. Its sole element is wheat flour.

Product #3. I picked upward this moghrabieh (aka Lebanese couscous) from a novel nutrient shop called Two Prickly Pears at the Carlton halt of Lygon St. This 1 kg pocketbook toll $9.95, though it mightiness live available for less elsewhere - has anyone spotted moghrabieh on Sydeny Rd, for example? Its ingredients are semolina, common salt together with water.

Product #4. I've added quinoa every bit a lastly left-field entry. While the diverse couscous varieties are all essentially pasta, quinoa is a whole grain (and supposedly a super food). Since it cooks upward to a like consistency to ordinary couscous (product #1) together with is arguably a to a greater extent than nutritious alternative, I've been substituting quinoa inwards couscous recipes for a distich of years. This organic quinoa (from Allergy Block) toll $8.30 for 600g (that's $13.83/kg).


The couscous experiment: stage I
For our kickoff sense of savor test, something simple. We cooked each production according to the directions on the packet, adding roughly 'chicken' stock powder to the cooking H2O together with a pocket-size slug of olive crude oil to finish.

Product #1. The measure couscous takes only v minutes to laid upward together with roughly doubles inwards volume. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sunny xanthous colour, it was soft (not at all chewy) together with absorbed the stock flavour well.

Product #2. The pearl couscous took almost 10 minutes to ready together with expanded only a little. Its colouring fabric was to a greater extent than beige; the pearls were tender amongst roughly chewiness, together with the stock flavouring clearly shone through.

Product #3. The moghrabieh took the longest to laid upward (15-20 minutes) together with did non expand substantially. Since it's boiled inwards a large total of H2O (in every other illustration all the cooking H2O is absorbed), it's in all likelihood non surprising that the stock flavouring was rather weak. Even later the longer cooking fourth dimension these were real chewy, occasionally tough, mayhap nonetheless undercooked.

Product #4. After 10-15 minutes of cooking, the quinoa doubled inwards volume. The grains larn translucent together with lightly golden-brown. It's the outer hull that provides chewiness, a dissimilar sense to chewing the denser centres of the larger couscous varieties. Quinoa has a distinctive nutty flavour of its ain together with the stock only came through mildly. Michael idea this tasted "healthier" than the other products.

At the halt of stage I, Michael together with I agreed that nosotros preferred the pearl couscous over the other options. It had a squeamish residual of tenderness together with toothsomeness, together with carried the stock flavouring best of all. The quinoa earned 2nd house - it has a unique sense of savor together with texture that doesn't need every bit good much seasoning.

This wouldn't live stage I unless at that topographic point were to a greater extent than couscous experiments to come. Keep an oculus out for the side yesteryear side installment!