Bevelini

Bevelini is a pantry label whose couscous is the classic North African style grain: tiny pellets of durum wheat semolina, steamed and dried so they rehydrate in minutes. It is one of the quickest grains to cook, which makes it useful on any weeknight when rice would take too long.

We list Bevelini in our couscous collection, part of semolina and couscous within atta and flour. Couscous is made from the same durum wheat as semolina, sooji and rava, but it is rolled into grains and pre-steamed, so it is served as a side dish instead of used like a flour.

Pour boiling water or stock over the couscous, cover for five minutes, then fluff with a fork and a knob of butter or a splash of olive oil. Serve it with a Moroccan tagine, a chicken and chickpea stew or grilled kebabs, or cool it and toss it with chopped cucumber, tomato, mint, lemon and pomegranate seeds for a salad. South Asian cooks sometimes temper it like upma, with mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion and peas, for a quick savoury breakfast. It also stretches a small amount of leftover curry into a full meal.

Keep opened couscous in a sealed jar in a dry cupboard, where it stays good for months. To compare grains, see our quinoa and broken wheat.