Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of pasta: A traditional North African pasta made from crushed and steamed semolina (coarse durum wheat flour), typically formed into tiny granules or pellets.
   • A complete dish: A spicy North African dish consisting of the steamed semolina pasta served with a stew of meat, vegetables, and broth.

Examples

• Noun (as pasta):
  • The base of the dish is fluffy couscous.
  • Couscous cooks very quickly, much faster than rice or other grains.
• Noun (as a complete dish):
  • For dinner, we had a delicious lamb couscous with chickpeas and carrots.
  • Traditional Moroccan couscous is often served on Fridays.

Advanced Usage

• "Israeli couscous": Also known as pearl couscous, this is a larger, toasted pasta ball, distinct from the traditional tiny North African variety.
  • The recipe calls for Israeli couscous, which has a chewier texture.
• Used metonymically to refer to the cuisine or culture of North Africa.
  • The restaurant's menu is a celebration of couscous and tagines.

Variants and Related Words

• Semolina (n): The coarse, purified wheat middlings (flour) from durum wheat, which is the primary ingredient in making couscous pasta.

Synonyms

• Pasta: (for the grain-like form)
• Stew: (for the complete dish component, though "couscous" specifically implies the combination with the grain).

Related Phrases

• "To steam couscous": The traditional method of preparing the pasta by steaming it over a simmering stew.
  • It's important to steam the couscous properly to achieve a light, fluffy texture.

Noun

1. a pasta made in northern Africa of crushed and steamed semolina
2. a spicy dish that originated in northern Africa; consists of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew