Sun is out, and the Summer is finally here to stay (I suppose). So I thought why not make a lovely healthy, fresh veggie and Couscous salad which can easily pass of as a main dish for vegetarians. And for us carnivores, this yummy Couscous salad is a great accompaniment with our Lamb Tagine or grilled fish.
Ingredients:
1 cup couscous
1 onion
1 cucumber
1 bell pepper / capsicum
1 tbsp thick tomato puree
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
2-3 green or red fresh chillies (finely chopped)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 juice of lemon and its zest
salt and pepper to season
Method:
1) Toast the cumin in a small fry pan and grind to a nice powder (prefer to use a pestle and mortar instead of a grinder).
2) Place the couscous in a big bowl and mix the ground cumin powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to it. Mix well. Then pour some hot water over the couscous until it is fully immersed. Cover and let it soak all the water for 10 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, bell pepper and cucumber. I normally put all these in a food processor and give it a whizz. The vegetables are chopped very fine and will look like a salsa.
4) Add the chopped herbs (coriander and mint) to these chopped veggies and mix well. Add the chillies too.
5) After 10 minutes, with a help of a fork, gently puff up the risen and cooked couscous and add the tomato puree to it. Mix gently using the fork. A spoon may mash the couscous and make the dish soggy.
6) Now add the chopped vegetable mix, lemon juice, olive oil and the lemon zest to the couscous and mix carefully.
7) Serve the healthy Summer Couscous with any of your favourite fish or lamb dishes or vegetarians can relish on its own. :)
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