Couscous is the king of the table on occasions, and it is the dish that united the countries of the Maghreb and gathered their words, as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania submitted a request to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in order to obtain recognition of the couscous dish as a world heritage, and it is one of the most popular dishes in the Maghreb. In its diversity, as in Algeria alone there are more than 300 ways to prepare it.

What is the origin of this food? And what are its components? How is it prepared? And what are its benefits? This is what we will answer in this article.

Couscous origin:

Earlier, the conflict between Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco over the ownership and origin of couscous intensified, as each of them claimed that it accompanied it until UNESCO resolved this problem and included it as a world heritage for the countries of the Maghreb, while some stress that its origin is due to the Berbers, who are the original inhabitants of North Africa, and others return it to the Arab civilization based on poems and texts.

The ingredients:

The ingredients of couscous and the way it is prepared differ according to each country. Here we will present the basic ingredients and prepare it in an easy way:

• kg couscous ready

• kg of shredded meat

• Half a kilo of turnip cut in quarters

• Half a kilo of carrots sliced ​​wide

• Half a kilo of zucchini, sliced

• Half a kilo of pumpkin

• Chickpeas soaked as desired

• Two chopped onions

• Butter and olive oil

• 1 small spoon of saffron

• Small spoonful of paprika

• Small spoon of ground ginger

• Salt and black pepper as needed

• Coriander bouquet

How to make couscous:

1. We put the onions with the meat, add a little oil, salt, black pepper and paprika, and after the onions are cooked, put the soaked chickpeas and two liters of water.

2. The couscous is separated by sprinkling lukewarm salted water and olive oil, then placing it in a special strainer for steaming over the pot in which the meat is cooked.

3. Put the turnip and carrots in the pot until it starts to level out, then add the squash and zucchini.

4. The filter in which the couscous is in is taken and placed in a large plate, again painted with oil and salted water and gently rubbed until the grains disperse, and then placed over the pot to evaporate again.

5. After the couscous is cooked, put it on a serving plate, and top with the broth and meat.

Couscous Benefits:

1. Strengthening the immune system, as it contains a high percentage of selenium, which is an antioxidant.

2. Maintaining the health of the heart and circulatory system because it contains potassium.

3. Weight loss due to the fiber it contains.

4. Accelerate the healing process of wounds because it contains a high percentage of proteins.

5. Improving digestion and preventing constipation, as it is an excellent source of dietary fiber.

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