[KYHeirloomer]

Yes, cous cous is, at base, a pasta made from semolina flour. Like any pasta, it will happily combine with any flavorings you care to mix in.

To visually see this for yourself, imagine a single grain of orzo. Mentally cut that in half and round it off. Israeli cous cous would be almost that size, but otherwise samee-same.

As to when to add flavorings, it depends. In it's homeland (i.e., North Africa), cous cous is made in a special pot called a couscousier. This has a strainer-like bottom, and the whole thing sits on top of another pot, where steam from the stew (or whatever is being cooked) rises into the grains. Made "correctly," cous cous also goes through several wettings, and the grains separated with the fingertips each time. But you don't want to get into that.

That idea, I find, works well. I usually make cous cous seperately from other major additives. The liquid might be flavored. But things like onions, other cooked veggies, fruits, etc. are added after the cous cous is cooked.

But you don't have to do it that way. No reason not to make it like a risotto, if that's your preference. Just watch the timing, because cous cous absorbs liquid fairly quickly.