Couscous is tiny granules of durum wheat semolina, a staple of North African cooking. Most couscous sold is precooked and needs only about 5 minutes in boiling water. A 70 g dry portion gives about 265 kcal, 9 g of protein and 3.5 g of fiber, and it is high in selenium, with useful manganese, copper and niacin. Dry couscous weighs about 3.3 times as much once soaked: 50 g makes about 165 g cooked.