Missing Couscous

[~alex~]

I know this sounds like a really boring thing to miss but after about 8 months gluten-free, one of the only things I really miss is couscous. I love the smallness of it and the way it absorbs any sauce you put on. I've tried quinoa and it's okay but it just doesn't do it for me.

Is there any good replacement for couscous? I've looked around a bit but I haven't found anything. I would be so happy if I could find some.

Thanks

[Lisa]

I know this sounds like a really boring thing to miss but after about 8 months gluten-free, one of the only things I really miss is couscous. I love the smallness of it and the way it absorbs any sauce you put on. I've tried quinoa and it's okay but it just doesn't do it for me.

Is there any good replacement for couscous? I've looked around a bit but I haven't found anything. I would be so happy if I could find some.

Thanks

Alex,

Although little consolation, but grits may be a good alternative. I cook stone ground grits with Swanson's Chicken Broth (instead of water) and add at the end whatever cheese I fancy at the time. Any type of herbs could be added (for a northern version )

It's great for breakfast for dinner with sausage/bacon and eggs.

[pradolimon]

I know this sounds like a really boring thing to miss but after about 8 months gluten-free, one of the only things I really miss is couscous. I love the smallness of it and the way it absorbs any sauce you put on. I've tried quinoa and it's okay but it just doesn't do it for me.

Is there any good replacement for couscous? I've looked around a bit but I haven't found anything. I would be so happy if I could find some.

Thanks

try millet

It is really small, like couscous. I like to toast it in a pan with oil for a few minutes before adding the water.

millet mixed with quinoa also makes a good subsitute for couscous, or for bulgar wheat in tabouleh salads.

[kenlove]

I like whole soba - buckwheat. When it's a little overcooked it is a little like couscous which I also miss.

Ken

I know this sounds like a really boring thing to miss but after about 8 months gluten-free, one of the only things I really miss is couscous. I love the smallness of it and the way it absorbs any sauce you put on. I've tried quinoa and it's okay but it just doesn't do it for me.

Is there any good replacement for couscous? I've looked around a bit but I haven't found anything. I would be so happy if I could find some.

Thanks

[kbabe1968]

Hmmmm....Millet, I haven't tried that yet! What's it taste like?

I can't help much on the couscous simply because I like the Quinoa. I've used it, so far, in all recipes that call for couscous and it's worked fine. Sorry.

[sickchick]

LOL! I was just going to suggest quinoa!

Quinoa Salad w/ Tuna

About 1 cup red quinoa (cooked with 2 cups water)

1 big bunch of cilantro chopped small but not fine

2 cucumbers seeded and chopped small

2 - 3 tomatoes seeded and chopped small

1 large hot banana pepper chopped very small (sweet would work as well)

1/2 - 1 onion chopped small (I used white b/c I had it on hand, but I think red would be nicer)

3 scallions (white and some green) slived very thin

1 garlic clove, smashed

juice of 1 lime

juice of 1 - 2 lemons

drizzle of yummy olive oil

sea salt to taste

cayenne pepper to taste

2 cans wildcaught tuna (or salmon) drained and flaked.

Mix together the veggies, quinoa, and the lemon juice, lime juice, olive oil. Let sit in fridge for a few hours, stirring on occassion. Then add salt, cayenne, and well drained, flaked tuna (or salmon).

[confusedks]

Alex,

Have you tried quinoa cooked in gluten-free chicken broth? We buy the Trader Joe's brand (labelled Gluten free) and use that instead of water. It makes a HUGE difference. It's not quite the same as couscous, but it's pretty close.

Kassandra

[tarnalberry]

millet is the closest thing I've found. it's another grain, non-gluten containing, and available in some health food stores.

[~alex~]

Thanks so much for all of the ideas! I think I'm going to give them all a try. I've really liked many foods that I never would have tried before I was diagnosed so I hope the same goes for these new foods.

Although little consolation, but grits may be a good alternative. I cook stone ground grits with Swanson's Chicken Broth (instead of water) and add at the end whatever cheese I fancy at the time. Any type of herbs could be added (for a northern version )

I'm incredibly embarrassed to say that I never really new what grits were . I always thought they were some kind of hashbrown. But now that I've done some investigating, I think I'm definitely going to have to give them I try. I will feel very Southern!

[cyberprof]

Alex, you might try flaked quinoa. They sell it to use in baking or as a hot cereal. Cooked, it should look more like couscous, smaller and less crunchy than quinoa.

Good luck!

I know this sounds like a really boring thing to miss but after about 8 months gluten-free, one of the only things I really miss is couscous. I love the smallness of it and the way it absorbs any sauce you put on. I've tried quinoa and it's okay but it just doesn't do it for me.

Is there any good replacement for couscous? I've looked around a bit but I haven't found anything. I would be so happy if I could find some.

Thanks

[tarnalberry]

Alex, you might try flaked quinoa. They sell it to use in baking or as a hot cereal. Cooked, it should look more like couscous, smaller and less crunchy than quinoa.

Good luck!

actually, it's much like porridge - particularly well cooked, instant oats. it just doesn't have the same texture at all. (makes a good hot breakfast cereal if you doctor it up, though.)

[hathor]

Amaranth is another possibility.

[Vykt0r]

Easy.

Toast some raw white rice, cook it and let it cool. Then you roll it in your hand until it breaks up into tiny balls. I believe this is how couscous is made(but obviously with wheat).

[Juliet]

According to Wikipedia, couscous is also sometimes made from pearl millet, particularly in North Africa:

"The couscous granules are made from semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat) or, in some regions, from coarsely ground barley or pearl millet. The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets, sprinkled with dry flour to keep the pellets separate, and then sieved. The pellets which are too small to be finished grains of couscous fall through the sieve to be again sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny grains of couscous. Sometimes salt is added to the semolina and water."

I don't know if you can find couscous made from millet, but it could be that pearl millet or millet cereals might be closest in flavor.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I use brown Minute rice in couscous recipes. I have also seen a recipe for "Rizcous," using brown rice that is whizzed for a few seconds in a food processor--the recipe is by Lisa Lewis, in Special Diets for Special Kids.

[ajsr]

I just tried making Millet couscous last night, since I, too, miss couscous. I found hulled Millet in the bulk section of the health food store. (I'd imagine you want to make sure it's hulled. I've had millet bread containing millet grains that still had the shells on them-- it's annoying; they get stuck in your teeth.)

Here's my verdict on Millet couscous:

• The grains are a bit bigger and firmer than the couscous I'm used to, but that was only slightly distracting.
  
• It takes a long time to cook, as opposed to the 5-minutes required for wheat couscous. It's exactly like rice in the way it cooks; you add water to the dry kernels in a 2:1 ratio, bring it to boil, then let it simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes. I added salt to the water.
  
• The flavor wasn't exactly the same, but it wasn't unpleasant, and it didn't detract at all from my Moroccan chicken and figs recipe.
  

Overall, I can't complain. Why don't you give it a try?

I'm going to try amaranth next time, and then I'll post my opinion.