Couscous cheesecloth. There is little archaeological evidence of early diets including couscous, possibly because the original "couscoussier" was probably made from organic materials that could not survive extended exposure to the elements. The couscous that is sold in most Western supermarkets has been pre-steamed and dried. It is typically prepared by adding 1.5 measures of boiling water or stock to each measure of couscous then leaving covered tightly for about five minutes. Pre-steamed couscous takes less time to prepare than regular couscous, most dried pasta, or dried grains (such as rice). In Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Libya, couscous is generally served
Couscous connection was found guilty "in absentia" and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. As part of the same case 23 other gang members, mostly Tunisian, were sentenced to various punishments. On 1 December 1992 Ben Ali's French lawyer met his client in Tunis. The lawyer gave a press conference in which he claimed there was no evidence that Ben Ali deserved the sentence. He said the conviction was due to political manipulation. He blamed Islamic fundamentalists for concocting the charges in an effort to blacken the family name. Mezri Haddad signed an article in "Libération" in 1992 about the "Couscous connection". According