# Israeli (pearl) couscous **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-pearl-couscous/425505 "2007-11-07T03:38:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-pearl-couscous/425505/1 "2007-11-07T03:38:13Z")
I picked up a bag of toasted couscous at the ethnic food store this weekend because it looked interesting. It has no instructions on it, so I stuck one cup of it in my rice cooker with two cups of water. I dumped some garlic salt in there as well. It was good - a very creamy, but at the same time not, texture. What are some good ways to prepare it? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-pearl-couscous/425505/2 "2007-11-07T12:47:41Z")
If it’s that couscous that looks like buckshot (little spheres), they say you’re supposed to “toast” it a little – that is, spread it on a skillet (so pretty much all the spheres are touching the skillet surface) with just a dash of olive oil, on rather high heat, for a few minutes until it starts to smell toasty – _before_ you cook it. Others will come along soon with actual recipes, I hope. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israeli-pearl-couscous/425505/3 "2007-11-07T23:58:47Z")
The couscous pieces are about the size of lentils (I’ve never seen buckshot, so I can’t compare). Are you supposed to actually brown it, or just get it smelling toasty?