It's a grain, it's a legume, oh just give it up - it is couscous - fun to eat and to say. Despite looking much like quinoa or other grains, couscous is actually small granules of the same hard durum semolina wheat used to make spaghetti and all other pastas. Couscous is very popular in Northern African and Middle Eastern cooking, and has the potential to be a college student staple because it requires no cooking.
That's right, plain couscous (available in whole wheat and regular varieties) can be made in a coffee mug in the microwave. It takes a simple 1:1 ratio of cooking liquid to couscous, and once the liquid is brought to a boil, just add the couscous and either cover or leave in the microwave for about 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork and it is done. Note, though, that if making a large amount, allow for ample expansion; couscous swells to more than triple its size during cooking.
Couscous makes the perfect bed for any type of grilled fish or meat and can even be dressed up with fruits, honey and a bit of milk for a desert. It can become its own main dish, also, by adding in lots of vegetables and legumes like garbonzo beans. The possibilities are endless. Go ahead and even stuff button mushrooms with couscous mixed with bruschetta or a favorite dip and have the perfect appetizer bites.
A good tip, though, is not to make couscous with water. Try using vegetable broth or if making a sweet dish, try using milk or a fruit juice even. When working with a culinary "blank canvas" feel free to "go Jackson Pollack" in the kitchen - splashing flavor wherever possible.
Here is a recipe for a great vegetable couscous pilaf. From start to finish it only takes about 15 minutes at the most and can either be eaten by itself with some garbonzo beans added to the vegetables, or below some grilled fish.
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable broth - reduced sodium
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
salt and pepper to taste
1 sm. zucchini, grated or diced
1 sm. carrot, grated or diced
1 cup frozen peas or canned garbonzo beans
1 cup of onion, grated or diced, or 3-4 green onions finely chopped
1 tbsp garam masala (or a mix of cumin, corriander, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom)
1 tbsp margarine or butter
Preparation
First place the vegetable broth into a microwave safe mug or measuring cup, microwave until boiling, add couscous and put back in the microwave. For those with no microwave, just bring liquid to boil in a kettle or saucepan, put couscous in a bowl, add hot liquid, cover and let sit until vegetables are done cooking.
In a small saute pan, heat butter and add onions and carrots. Saute over medium to medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper and spices. Once the onions begin to turn translucent, add the zucchini. When everything looks just about done, add the frozen peas and stir to combine. Frozen peas take practically no time to cook and are best just warmed through. If using garbonzo beans, add with the zucchini. This collective step of the process may take 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the preferred "doneness" of the vegetables. Some people like their veggies crisper than others. Neither way is right or wrong. The beauty of cooking is there is no real perfection.
Once the vegetables are nice and cooked, just add to the couscous and combine. There are hundreds of combinations of vegetables and fruits to go into couscous so be creative and pick personal favorites. This can become an easy go-to side dish and a signature item to be known for. Switch it up and have fun with it!
Have a good weekend and the Kitchen Sink will return on Monday with more dish and dishes.