Eating cuscuz in my family is almost a ritual. I grew up having it for either breakfast or dinner. I remember going to my grandparents' house and, whenever we stayed overnight, we would have cuscuz for dinner with them. At my auntie's house, cuscuz is the traditional Friday dinner, when everybody gets together for a family gathering.
At every family gathering, there was always cuscuz. That's why, whenever I'm missing home or family, I make cuscuz. It is the food I eat when I want to remind myself of who I am — it's what connects me with the world. It is also my biggest craving when I am feeling saudade. Cuscuz is the first and last dish I eat when I go back home, and every person in my family has their own favorite way of making it. My mom likes it with vinagrete; my dad likes it soaked in hot milk with a bit of sugar. My siblings, however, like it only with scrambled eggs.
Ingredients
Flaked cornmeal (e.g., Flocão or Vitamilho) — the bag
1–3 cups milk (depending on how moist you'd like it)
3–5 tsp salt
233g carne-seca (dried beef), shredded
12 eggs
Coalho cheese (grilling cheese) — the bag
Method
1) Hydrate the cornmeal: in a bowl, mix the flaked cornmeal and salt. Gradually add the milk while mixing with your fingers. The texture should feel like wet sand — moist but not a paste. Let it rest for at least 10–15 minutes.
2) Steam the cuscuz: fill the bottom of a cuscuzeira (steamer pot) with water. Place the hydrated cornmeal in the top basket. Do not press it down; keep it loose so steam can circulate. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20–25 minutes once the water starts boiling — only add cuscuz when the water is already boiling. You'll know it's done when it smells like fresh corn and feels firm to the touch.
3) Prepare the toppings: sauté the shredded dried beef in a pan with butter until slightly crispy. Scramble the eggs directly into the meat pan, or fry them sunny side up. Add the coalho cheese to the same pan and cook until both sides are crispy.
4) Assemble: break the cuscuz into large chunks and toss into the pan with meat and scrambled eggs — always leave the cheese as an add-on. Or serve a wedge of cuscuz on a plate, topped with a generous dollop of butter, the sautéed meat, and a fried egg.
