How to Cook Couscous Without a Hob

I’ve not ever tried to cook couscous WITH a hob, in fact I was staggered when I saw somebody on the television Come Dine With Me programme doing just that! AND, of course, she cocked it up, BIG time.  So, what’s the secret?

Well, you could try reading the packet …. radical, I know, but it’s there:

Cook Couscous Without a Hob:

• Place the couscous in a bowl
• Add boiling water to the couscous
• Cover the dish with a lid/saucer and wait 5 minutes
• Check it by fluffing it up and taste a little – it should be spot on

How Much Water Do You Add to Couscous?

Well, in the example pack above, which is a pack of Sainsbury’s couscous, they’re quite specific about it being 300ml of water to 250 grams of couscous – but I make much smaller quantities than that – I’ll usually do it “by eye” and tip out the quantity of couscous I need into a Pyrex jug, then I’ll add water to just a little over the level of the couscous.  Alternatively, if I do feel like weighing things out then the Pyrex is handy as I’ll start by measuring out the water in that, then adding the weighed couscous.

If you need more specific instructions, then whatever the volume of your couscous is, measure out 1.5x that amount of boiling water and pour that in!

You Can Always Add More Water, You Can’t Take It Away

Err on the side of not enough water, as you can always give it a quick top up; I tend to hold back a little splash or so!  Then, if when I check, it needed a little more I’ll give it a top up and stir.

Now, where does it mention a hob at all? Nowhere! And so that’s how you cook couscous without a hob – it’s how you’re supposed to cook it 🙂