What used to be a regional North African specialty has quickly become mainstream. Couscous is a quick and convenient canvas for a variety of dishes. The elaborate and time-consuming steaming of couscous has been replaced by a “ready in a few minutes” process using precooked and dried couscous available in most supermarkets.
The ubiquitous couscous salad comes in many varieties. In my recipe, I combine couscous with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers. Adding a few shelled roasted pistachios gives it a salty kick. A refreshing dish to be used as a salad or side.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cup instant couscous
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 3 medium tomatoes, seeded, cored and cut into 3/4 inch dices
- 1/2 European cucumber, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch dices
- 4 Tbsp shelled roasted pistachios
- 2 scallions finely sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 260 g instant couscous
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 3 medium tomatoes, seeded, cored and cut into 2 cm dices
- 1/2 European cucumber, seeded and cut into 2 cm dices
- 4 Tbsp shelled roasted pistachios
- 2 scallions finely sliced
- 15 g fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
The instructions for instant couscous call for a water to couscous ratio of 1:1 (by volume). As we are adding tomatoes and cucumber I suggest keeping the couscous rather dry.
Bring 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup (300-350 ml) water to a boil in a saucepan. Add salt and couscous, cover and remove from heat. Make sure that the couscous is not too moist or the salad will get mushy. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes or according to package instructions. Uncover and fluff it out with a fork. Transfer to a serving bowl and let it cool. Add all remaining ingredients and mix it well. Adjust seasoning to your liking.
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