In Brazil, the couscous pot or cuscuzeira can be found in different sizes, as you can see in the picture below. First , you need to moisten the corn flakes, so that your recipe is not crumbly at the end. In a bowl, place the corn flakes, water and season with a little salt. Loosen the flakes well using your fingertips or a fork. Soak for a few minutes 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. 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! 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 serveCondensation 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. Water is an important ingredient because it holds everything together. I use anywhere from 2 and ½ to 3 cups of water (added a little bit a time). I explain my theory on when to use 2 and ½ cups versus 3 cups in step 2. Make sure to wrap any leftovers in foil and store them in the refrigerator, otherwise they will get moldy!

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. Grease with butter both the couscous strainer plate and sides of the pot that are above the line (this will help couscous to be unmolded much easier). Nota: Se procura pelo morro localizado na cidade de Analândia, veja Morro do Cuscuzeiro. Cuscuzeiros em alumínio e barro 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. 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. Use foil to cover the top of the binde. Poke holes in the foil to allow the steam to escape. Place a glass lid over the foil and steam the cuscuz over medium heat for about 40 minutes.

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First and foremost, I give full credit to mamá (my grandmother) for showing me how to make Cape Verdean cuscuz. I tested and re-photographed this recipe many times because I needed it to be as perfect as hers! I’m show you how to make it in a traditional binde (claypot) because that’s just how Mamá makes it. What is cuscuz? An empty 28 ounce metal can. I repurposed a large coffee can. My can won’t last forever but I can easily buy another one. Yellow pre-cooked cornmeal is commonly labeled ‘masa harina’. You’ll only need about a cup. It helps give the cuscuz structure. Hi, I'm Denise Browing a professional chef and cookbook author. My mission is to help you cook budget-friendly, healthy global meals for your family with some occasional splurges. They are sure to bring a lot of excitement to your table Add a few tablespoons of water to the flour that you reserved earlier, and use your fingers to make a paste. Press the paste against the seam where the can and the binde meet. You want to seal this off to ensure that the steam doesn’t escape while the cuscus is cooking. The paste should go around the circumference of the binde, as shown in the photo below. Step 7: Cover and steam

If you’re not up for the challenge of assembling a binde/metal can device, you can opt to use a cuscuzeira. Just keep in mind that a cuscuzeira is much smaller than the binde used in this recipe. I believe it’s roughly half the size, so you’ll need to scale the recipe down. 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! 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. Couscous pot: it reminds me of a tamal steaming pot although much smaller. In Brazil, the plain couscous can be either sweet, like the recipe presented below or savory, eaten with butter, milk, meats, or beans. It can also used to make farofa. This is the smallest couscous pot that I found online in the U.S. It can make enough cuscuz de milho to serve 6 to 8, and will not have the exact same shape as the Brazilian one, but steam the cornmeal just the same way. You can also use a veggie steamer (2.75 Qt) instead. a b Editores do Michaelis (2005). «Cuscuzeira». Dicionário Michaelis . Consultado em 8 de novembro de 2022

Além disso, a Tramontina também oferece a Cuscuzeira Tramontina Turim 20268714 1.9L Vermelho, que possui capacidade de 1,9 litros e é fabricada em material resistente, garantindo maior durabilidade e segurança durante o uso.