Make sure to wrap any leftovers in foil and store them in the refrigerator, otherwise they will get moldy! I planned to make Romeo & Juliet Stuffed French Toast but I changed my mind at the very last minute.

Once the pot is full, use the flat edge of a spoon to gently press the top of the cuscuz down. Cover the large opening of the binde with foil, poke a few holes in the foil and cover the pot with a glass lid. Set aside. Tapioca starch comes from the yucca plant. Tapioca starch is also labeled as tapioca flour, or manioc starch. This recipe only calls for a few tablespoons, but it’s an important binding agent, so you’ll need it.Reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook for 3 - 5 minutes more (for pre-cooked cornmeal), or 8 - 10 minutes (for not pre-cooked). This recipe calls for 2 and ½ to 3 cups of water. You can use cold or room temperature water. It doesn’t need to be freezing, right from the faucet is fine. Add the water to the flour mixture, just a little at a time, and continue to mix with your hands. Já a Cuscuzeira Antiaderente Luxo com Tampa de Vidro é perfeita para quem aprecia um delicioso cuscuz. Sua camada antiaderente permite um cozimento uniforme, evitando que o cuscuz grude na panela. Além disso, sua tampa de vidro permite acompanhar o processo de cozimento, garantindo um resultado perfeito. Condensation will start to build on the inside of the lid around the 20-30 minute mark. If you notice the condensation sooner, that’s ok. After 40 minutes, you should be able to smell the cuscus. It will have a sweet smell. Salted butter is preferred to serve with cuscuz. There’s no salt in the recipe itself, so the salted better gives the cuscus a nice taste.

Assembling the binde is simple. You’re just going to fill the metal can about ⅓ of the way with tap water and place the clay pot into the can. You shouldn’t have to worry about the bottom of the pot touching the water because of the way that the pot is shaped. This is your choice, but traditionally Cape Verdean cuscuz is made in a binde (clay pot). In Cape Verde, the binde has more of a dome shape and has more than one hole in the bottom. In the U.S., I’ve only seen unglazed terra cotta flower pots used as bindes. This substitution likely came from the fact that the traditional Cape Verdean binde is not sold in the U.S. I’mbringingCape Verdeancomfort food to the table!This is where I share easy-to-followrecipes fromCape Verdeand cultures with similar cuisines! Wrap any leftover cuscus in foil and store it in the refrigerator. Seriously, this part. Cuscuz is very dense and surprisingly holds a lot of moisture! It will get moldy if you store it at room temperature in a plastic container. You don’t want to see what moldy cuscuz looks like! Meanwhile, mix both milks with sugar and the coconut flakes, stirring well. Reserve. If you wish, heat a bit the milk mixture before pouring it over cooked and unmolded cuscuz.The Brazilian Cuscuz is a typical food from the Northeast of Brazil and it’s very cheap to prepare! In many places it’s used as an alternative for bread. Curious about how it looks like? So let’s cook! Ingredients Preparing the couscous reminded me that I needed to show the pot that we use to make this corn dish (resembles a tamal pot but smaller).

Empty the bag of flour into the large metal bowl. Add the cornmeal, and tapioca starch, and combine them with your hands. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for 3 - 5 minutes more (if cornmeal is pre-cooked), or 8 - 10 minutes (if cornmeal is not pre-cooked). Remove from heat and let cool down a bit, covered.Serve Cape Verdean cuscuz with softened butter! Softened butter is way easier to spread. Normally Mamá serves it with spread (aka fake butter). I’m not gonna pretend that I didn’t grow up on spread! As long as it’s salted, spreads easily, and tastes like butter, you’re good! What’s good enough for Mamá is good enough for me! Fill the bottom of the couscous pan with water (to a level slightly beneath the groove where the strainer plate rests); then place the strainer plate into the pot, fill the remainder of the pot above the strainer plate with the couscous mixture, and cover. Tip: Please, do not press wettened couscous down or it won't be cooked evenly. Steam the cuscuz over a medium flame for about 40 minutes. You should be able to smell the cuscuz when it’s done, and condensation will build up on the inside of the lid. The flour should feel moist but not wet. You’ll know it’s moist enough when it holds together when you squeeze it in your fist. If the flour falls apart easily when you unclench your fist, it’s not moist enough. I have this crazy theory that slightly less water is needed when the air is humid, so in the summer I use 2 and ½ cups, but in the fall and winter months I use 3. Step 4: Add sugar and cinnamon

Once the cuscuz is done steaming, turn the flame off and let the binde sit until it’s cool enough to touch. Use a metal spoon to chip the hardened paste off of the binde. Carefully remove the binde from the can. Egg thread strainer: Please, see its use and substitution in one of our posts about Portuguese Egg Threads. I realize that not everyone knows what cuscuz is. Truthfully, Cuscuz is kind of hard to define. Simply put, cuscus is a Cape Verdean breakfast food that’s made mainly of corn flour or mandioca (yucca) flour. The corn version (this one) also contains sugar, cornmeal and mandioca starch (aka manioc or tapioca starch). Most people add a touch of cinnamon. The dry ingredients are moistened with water and steamed in a binde, which as I mentioned, is a traditional Cape Verdean clay pot. Most Cape Verdeans use a flower pot (yes, one that you can find at the Home Depot) and insert it into a large tin can. The seam is sealed with a paste that’s made from the reserved corn flour, and the cuscuz is covered and steamed on the stove top. Leftover cuscus can be heated up in a steamer. I think I actually like it better on the second day. The second steaming makes it so soft and moist! Mamá swears the binde yields better tasting cuscuz. As I’ve mentioned, I haven’t used my cuscuzeira yet to make the comparison, but I’m taking Mamá’s word for it!The binde is placed on top of a metal canister (usually a large emptied out metal can) that’s filled ⅓ of the way up with water. Paste made from the cuscus flour is used to seal the seam where the the binde meets the can. This seal keeps the steam in the binde. In Brazil, the couscous pot or cuscuzeira can be found in different sizes, as you can see in the picture below. In a medium bowl, mix the cornmeal with the salt; then add the water little by little, mixing well with your hands. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Turn the flame off and let the binde cool to the touch. You’ll need to remove the paste from the seam and you don’t want to do this while the binde is still hot. Step 8: Release the cuscuz and serve