Maghrebi couscous
Cuscús magrebí
- Date
- c. century XIII (primeras recetas) · confidence low
- Place
- Central Maghreb, Algeria
- Credited to
- Berber peoples of the Maghreb
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
Grains of wheat or barley semolina that are rolled by hand, dried and steamed above a stew in a two-part vessel. The oldest surviving recipes are from the 13th century (Al-Andalus and the Maghreb), and the name is probably of Berber origin.
Perforated vessels from Numidian tombs (3rd century BC) have been cited as steamers, but that interpretation is disputed; firm textual evidence dates from the 13th century. The location is a marker for the central Maghreb.
What it led to
- a staple dish of the Maghreb, from Libya to Morocco, and of West Africa with millet and sorghum
- preservation of cereal as long-lasting dried granules
- integration into French and European cuisine in the 20th century and UNESCO recognition in 2020
Built on
- Leavened bread and large-scale bakery