# Please explain these couscous directions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089 "2010-02-15T17:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/1 "2010-02-15T17:33:11Z")
It says: “Frida Couscous is conceived according to an industrial UHT. (“Ultra” high temperature). Heating instructions: In one vapor cooking of about 10 min.” That’s all. Does this mean I need a pressure cooker or something? Any help is much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/2 "2010-02-15T17:39:14Z")
I have no idea. However, I cook instant couscous in the following manner: 1. Pour an equal volume of couscous and boiling water into a bowl. 2. Cover the bowl. 3. Wait a few minutes. 4. Couscous! ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/3 "2010-02-15T19:19:27Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > …I cook instant couscous in the following manner:… I assume this isn’t instant–at least it doesn’t say so. Or is _ **all** _ couscous “instant”? ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/4 "2010-02-15T19:24:52Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I assume this isn’t instant–at least it doesn’t say so. Or is _ **all** _ couscous “instant”? If it looks like [this](http://www.halafoods.com/images/moroccan_couscous.jpg) it is. If you have what’s sold in the US as Mediterranean or “pearl” couscous,which is similar but the pieces are much bigger, it needs to be cooked longer, similar to pasta. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/5 "2010-02-15T19:31:42Z")
Guessing at what the translation should have meant: “vapour” = steam; “cooking” = saucepan/cooker. I.e. steam it for 10 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/6 "2010-02-15T19:36:24Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I have no idea. > > However, I cook instant couscous in the following manner: > > 1. Pour an equal volume of couscous and boiling water into a bowl. > > 2. Cover the bowl. > > 3. Wait a few minutes. > > 4. Couscous! This is the only way I’ve ever made it too. Heard it referred to as “blooming” the couscous. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/7 "2010-02-15T19:57:20Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > If it looks like [this](http://www.halafoods.com/images/moroccan_couscous.jpg) it is. > > If you have what’s sold in the US as Mediterranean or “pearl” couscous,which is similar but the pieces are much bigger, it needs to be cooked longer, similar to pasta. No, this is from Morocco. Still, I wonder what this “Ultra” high temperature means. The only thing I can think of is that it’s baked very quickly in production…But how is that different from any other couscous? They act like it’s something special. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/8 "2010-02-15T20:06:29Z")
UHT is a term used in the UK for long-life milk. Maybe it’s long-life couscous? Perhaps Moroccans generally get fresh (wet) couscous from the market. Or maybe it’s a minor marketing point that doesn’t translate. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/9 "2010-02-15T22:36:22Z")
If it’s from Morocco, the instructions are probably translated from French, probably using Google or something like it. Translating into French the same way, we get: > [@](#): > > Frida couscous est conçu selon un procédé UHT industriel. ( “Ultra” à haute température). Instructions de chauffage: En une cuisson vapeur d’environ 10 min. Which I (not a francophone) would translate as “Frida Couscous is prepared by an industrial UHT (“Ultra” high temperature) process. Heating instructions: steam cooking for around 10 minutes.” I don’t know; it might have been translated from bad French. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/10 "2010-02-15T22:43:59Z")
I would bet a whole nickel that the first part (up to “Instructions de chauffage”) is not actually cooking directions, but a description of how the stuff has been pre-cooked, which explains why it only needs to be soaked in steaming water on the user’s part, per **Alessan** ’s directions. However, Wikipedia includes this: [QUOTE=teh Wiki] Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed. [/QUOTE] so I might lose my nickel on that. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/11 "2010-02-16T00:26:30Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > If it’s from Morocco, the instructions are probably translated from French, probably using Google or something like it. Translating into French the same way, we get: > > … Kind of. The French part says: “Couscous Frida est conçu selon un procédé industriel THT. (A très haute température). Préparation: En use seule cusson d’environ 10 min., à la vapeur." (It’s also in Dutch, Italian and Spanish.) ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/12 "2010-02-16T00:29:09Z")
The traditional way to cook couscous is to steam it, so I would think that’s how this is meant to be cooked. I just tend to drop an equal volume of boiling water on it and cover until absorbed before fluffing with a fork - which I guess achieves roughly the same sort of result. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/13 "2010-02-16T02:11:01Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > The traditional way to cook couscous is to steam it, so I would think that’s how this is meant to be cooked. I just tend to drop an equal volume of boiling water on it and cover until absorbed before fluffing with a fork - which I guess achieves roughly the same sort of result. I guess that’s what I’ll do. Couscous is just like a fluffy version of Cream of Wheat, after all. Still, the whole “one vapor cooking” thing seems like some people have a special device for making couscous. You know, like a rice cooker for rice. I need to do something, because dinner is fast approaching. What if my couscous comes out like Cream of Wheat? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/14 "2010-02-16T02:34:54Z")
“Real” couscous has to be steamed, there are special steamers made for the purpose, and fluffed with a fork every 10 minutes. Cooking time - till done. No wonder all those little boxes of just- add- hot- water showed up on grocery shelves. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/15 "2010-02-16T06:30:35Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Still, the whole “one vapor cooking” thing seems like some people have a special device for making couscous. You know, like a rice cooker for rice. It’s called a [couscousiere](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=69b&resnum=0&q=couscousiere&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=XDt6S4TENpHc7APSy8ydCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCcQsAQwAw). ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/16 "2010-02-16T14:38:22Z")
You might be able to rig something up - do you have (or can you source) a colander that’s got a super fine mesh? My colander is basically a metal mesh basket, but the holes are probably too big. Perhaps you could line a colander with a couple layers of cheesecloth - it’d give you a way to let steam through without having the couscous fall into the water. Then set over an inch or so of boiling water in a pan, cover, and Bob’s your uncle. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/17 "2010-02-16T18:16:01Z")
Before rigging a steamer setup, I’d try making a tablespoon of the stuff according to typical directions for the instant type (equal parts couscous and boiling water in a tightly-covered dish; let sit for 5-10 minutes). ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/18 "2010-02-16T18:27:59Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Then set over an inch or so of boiling water in a pan, cover, and Bob’s your uncle. OT: At 8:12 this morning, on another message board, I typed the phrase “Bob’s your uncle” for what I imagine must be the first time in my life. For no real reason - I mean it fit, but was mostly decorative. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/19 "2010-02-16T19:03:29Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#): > > Before rigging a steamer setup, I’d try making a tablespoon of the stuff according to typical directions for the instant type (equal parts couscous and boiling water in a tightly-covered dish; let sit for 5-10 minutes). The thing is that I really can’t let my fiancée or her mother catch me testing, or doing anything experimental. You see, I kind of let on to them that I make this special dish, served with couscous. In Colombia I always say that I’ll make it when she (la suegra) comes to L.A. Now that she’s here, she’s scoping out what her future son-in-law can do in the kitchen. They’re of Syrian origin, so I can’t just pull one over on her. I postponed last night’s surprise dinner to Friday. The idea is that they’ll come back from sight-seeing and I’ll just casually “toss together” the special dish “on the spur of the moment.” But it really has to be perfect and seem effortless. If I can test it secretly, I’ll do that until I get it right. I’m going back to the Armenian supermarket to get some more–maybe find some with clearer directions. It really has to be perfect, though. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089/20 "2010-02-16T19:16:13Z")
Heh! Good luck! Two thoughts that may or may not be helpful: 1. If your fiancée’s mother is a traditional type person from Syria, she may be astonished that you can and are willing to boil water, let alone cook a whole dish, when there are perfectly good women available to do the cooking. 😉 2. If you test a tiny batch of the couscous and they catch you at it, you could try explaining that you are trying out a new variety and wanted to make sure it met your high standards before feeding it to important people. (Which would be true, too.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-explain-these-couscous-directions/529089.md?page=2)