Couscous Salad

I just got back from camping down near Margaret River. Before we headed off I made a big couscous salad, it's one of my favourites and very versatile. I make it in a saucepan as a kind of one pot wonder, it allows you to brown the nuts/cumin seeds and then the residual heat of the saucepan makes sure the couscous cooks properly.

CousCous Salad

1 cup instant couscous

1 cup hot water

small handful of pine nuts (or slivered/flaked almonds)

1 tbl sultanas

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbl olive oil

3 sundried tomatoes

fresh parsley, mint and/or basil

boil the kettle

In a saucepan, add oil, cumin seeds and nuts, on a medium heat until the nuts start to partially brown

then add sultanas, very soon they will swell up

when this happens immediately add 1 cup of hot water

be careful the sultanas burn is you leave them too long

once the water boils, add 1 cup of instant couscous, give one quick stir, take it off the heat and cover with the lid.

After 3-4 minutes, take off the lid, quickly fluff up the couscous, then replace the lid

fluffing at this stage is important otherwise the couscous sticks to itself and is all lumpy

After 5-6 minutes,  take off the lid, again fluff up the couscous, taste a few grains to check if they are cooked. It should be done, but if not, replace the lid and wait a few more minutes. 

add some extra tasty things like...

sundried tomatoes, fresh herns

1 tbl finely diced onion

I made a garden salad too. If you don't have it with a garden salad, you can add deseeded cucumber/tomato, diced red capsicum and celery.

Fetta is also a really nice addition

This couscous goes really well with grilled haloumi, roasted vegetables, roast lamb and many other things...