Blog

This Friday, it’s royal couscous at the Coco Lodge Majunga restaurant. Couscous is a real complete meal. A dish which combines many qualities and which certainly cannot be missed.

Couscous is undoubtedly the traditional dish by excellence.

So the restaurant Coco Lodge Majunga offers you this Friday, for a gourmet dinner, in music with Tantely and Mariah, a royal couscous… come and enjoy music, by the swimming pool, under the stars 😊.

This Friday, it’s royal couscous at the Coco Lodge Majunga restaurant … We all talk about couscous, but a little bit of history, …

And first, a little riddle, who said : « “Let them taste couscous and they will see that it is very good. !” » ?

And do you also know the Cous Cous Fest? ? Fighting differences and integrating people and nations with one cereal. This is not an easy goal that the Cous Cous Fest has been trying to pursue since 22 years, by calling in San Vito Lo Capo, in Sicily, chefs, musicians, refugees and lovers of gastronomy and culture from all over the world… it’s every year at the end of September.

Couscous Royal Coco Lodge. The couscous madness is not new. En 2006, it already came in second place among the French's favorite dishes. Just after the blanquette, but before the mussels and fries and the prime rib. Proof of the culinary eclecticism of our compatriots, quick to adopt extra-hexagonal recipes.

Couscous, just like the tagine, is a dish traditional emblematic of Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Western Sahara). Indeed, the semolina Durum wheat is the staple food of these countries. It is different from soft wheat, also called “wheat”, which is used for the manufacture of bread, of pizza, … etc. And the term “couscous” also refers to semolina (once steamed) that the entire dish.

Couscous is an essential element of Maghreb cultural identity. By the way, it was officially declared “common Maghreb heritage”. And more recently, a project aims to classify it as a common heritage of humanity by the UN (United Nations). AND the dish could soon be included in UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage. Exported all over the world, it is one of the French's favorite dishes.

The couscous dish is one of the dishes of all days, but can also be enjoyed on special occasions (wedding, religious ceremonies, birth, offerings, circumcision, Death, …). Above all during Eid el-Kebir which means “festival of sacrifice” or “big party”. But be careful, do not confuse it with Eid ul-Fitr which means “little party” and which marks the end of Ramadan.

There is therefore a wide variety of couscous in the world but this specialty remains above all North African.. Couscous semolina is a staple food in the diet of the populations of North Africa.. The expansion of couscous took place in several stages. At the outset, by the warlike conquests and commercial development of the Muslims of the 11th century. Then, during the 20th century thanks to successive waves of immigration from North Africa to numerous European countries.

In the Maghreb, couscous is a national dish which retains a strong religious and social connotation.Present at all the big occasions, from birth to marriage, it's a real cement of social bond. Family and friends gather around a big unique dish to enjoy couscous with a spoon or, more traditionally, handmade. So it’s a real sharing dish..

A simple base for an effective dish. Traditionally, couscous consists of durum wheat semolina served with meat and vegetable stew. It’s this simple base that makes the dish so successful.. It can also be eaten alone or as a side dish, flavored or plain, hot or cold, or even as a dessert with dried fruits, candied and fresh.

Preparation and cooking takes place in two key moments :
– durum wheat semolina is steamed, then simmered in a couscous maker. You can add chickpeas depending on the recipe and taste., peas, or even raisins ;
– vegetables, (courgettes, onions, carrots, turnips, tomatoes, artichokes, squash) and the meat (lamb or chicken) are, on the other hand, cooked together, browned before simmering in a spicy broth.
We can thus taste lamb couscous, with fish, with chicken…Generally speaking, couscous is prepared with only one type of meat, because the broth and semolina cook in its steam and are imbued with its aroma.

The benefits of couscous. With its balanced composition, thanks to the multiple ingredients, this single dish covers all daily energy needs. Semolina is rich in B vitamins, in magnesium and phosphorus, vegetables and dried fruits contain vitamins and fiber and finally meat provides the proteins necessary for health.

Coco Lodge Majunga ,It’s not just a gourmet restaurant, it's also a Hôtel★★★, one Four-wheel-drive renter with guide driver and Event organizer (conferences, seminars, workshops, lunches/dinners with themes, wedding, anniversary, boy-girl stag, …). For your holidays or business trips, the whole team of the Hotel ★★★ Coco Lodge is delighted to meet your expectations and satisfy your needs for an unforgettable stay in the city of Majunga. Coco Lodge TO organises tours of Majunga and its surroundings and many more such as the Anjohibe Caves, Ankarafantsika National Park, Sacred Lake, Red Circus, the beaches, the Antrema reserve, the lighthouse of Katsepy, Papamena, The Poseidon, Mahavavy Kinkony Complex, Namoroka tsingys, …