How-to guide
How to Steam Couscous Without a Couscoussier — Improvised Steaming
You do not need a special couscoussier to make proper steamed couscous — a large pot and a metal colander or fine sieve can be rigged into a perfectly good improvised steamer. The principles are exactly the same as the traditional method: steam the grain in stages, fluffing between each, so it swells light and separate rather than gluey. The one thing that matters is sealing the join so steam is forced up through the grain. This guide shows how. For the full technique behind it, see how to make perfect couscous.
About 75 minutes
Step by step
- 1
Choose a colander that fits
Find a metal colander or fine sieve that sits snugly in the mouth of a large pot without its base touching the liquid below. The gap between the colander and the water lets steam rise up through the couscous. A tight fit at the rim is what you are after.
- 2
Seal the join
The key step: seal the gap where the colander meets the pot so steam cannot escape round the sides and is forced up through the grain instead. Wrap a damp strip of cloth or a twist of foil around the join, pressing it into the gap. This improvised seal replaces the couscoussier's snug fit.
- 3
Moisten the couscous
Tip the dry couscous into a wide bowl, sprinkle with a little cold salted water and a drizzle of oil, and rake it through with your fingers to coat every grain and break up clumps. It should be damp, not wet. This first moistening prepares the grain to steam evenly.
- 4
First steam
Pile the couscous loosely into the colander without pressing it down, so steam can pass freely. Set it over the simmering pot below, with the seal in place, and steam uncovered for fifteen to twenty minutes from when steam rises through the grain. This par-cooks it.
- 5
Fluff and steam again
Turn the couscous out into the bowl, sprinkle with more salted water, work in a little butter or oil and rake through with a fork or wet hands to separate the grains, then let it rest a few minutes. Return it to the colander and steam again for another fifteen to twenty minutes.
- 6
Finish fluffy
For the lightest result, repeat the fluff-and-steam once more for a third steaming. Then turn out the couscous, fork through a final knob of butter and taste for salt. It should be light and separate, every bit as good as couscous from a purpose-made couscoussier.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not sealing the join, so steam escapes round the sides instead of through the grain.
- Letting the colander base sit in the water, boiling rather than steaming the couscous.
- Pressing the couscous down, which blocks the steam.
- Skipping the fluffing between steamings, so the grains clump.
- Adding all the water at once instead of in light sprinklings.
Tips from the kitchen
- A damp cloth or foil twist around the join is the crucial improvised seal.
- Make sure the colander sits above the water, not in it, so it steams.
- Steam over the stew you will serve so the grain catches its aroma.
- Wet your hands with salted water to fluff and season the grains at once.
- Two steamings give a great result; three gives the very lightest.
Questions
Can I really make good couscous without a couscoussier?
Yes. A large pot with a metal colander or fine sieve set over it, and the join sealed so steam is forced up through the grain, does exactly the same job. The traditional method of steaming in stages and fluffing between each is what makes couscous light and separate, not the specific pot.
Why do I need to seal the gap?
So the steam is forced up through the couscous rather than escaping around the sides, which is what actually cooks and swells the grain. Without a seal, much of the steam is wasted and the couscous cooks slowly and unevenly. A damp cloth or twist of foil around the join solves this simply.
Can I just add boiling water instead?
You can pour boiling water over instant couscous, and it is quick, but the result is heavier and clumps more easily than steamed couscous. The improvised steaming method gives you the light, separate, fluffy grains of the traditional dish with only a colander and a pot, so it is well worth the extra time.
How many times should I steam it?
Steaming in stages is the key. Two steamings, with a fluffing and light watering in between, give an excellent result, and a third gives the very lightest, most separate grains — the traditional standard for a feast. Fewer than two, or steaming without fluffing between, tends to give clumpier couscous.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.