I am trying to eat more protein (as I'm vegetarian) and one easy thing I have been making for work lunches is a couscous salad with chickpeas and lentils. Unfortunately the couscous always ends up a bit lumpy even though I follow the packet instructions. I am using the San Remo brand that comes in a box. Has anyone any tips as to where I am going wrong? Thanks, Jacki

Twice Cooked
[www.twicecooked.co.nz]

Here is a way to cook couscous. By the way, I hope you're not under the impression that couscous is a high protein food: it is made from refined wheat and has no more protein than any other kind of pasta i.e. not much.

Moroccan Couscous

Serves eight

600g couscous
2 c milk
1 ½ tsp salt

Put couscous in a sieve and rinse with cold water. Put in large bowl and stand for 10 min. Break up any lumps.

Lightly oil top of steamer, pile in couscous and steam uncovered 30 min.
Dump couscous in large bowl and gradually mix in milk and salt, using a fork to aerate it. Stand at least 45 min. (several hours is fine).

Return to steamer and steam 30 min. Dump in bowl and toss with 5 tab. butter or olive oil. Cover and stand 10 min.

If you are looking to increase protein try quinoa instead of couscous, cook it in vegetable stock to add some flavour.

If you're using couscous to bulk up a meal, try using Israeli cousous, the larger sized cousin of normal couscous, and lighty dry-toast it before cooking. It adds a nutty flavour to an otherwise bland pasta.

Whole grains and legumes together form a complete protein. This website gives information about which foods form a complete protein when combined. Important if you are a vegetarian.

[www.livestrong.com]

Try adding roasted vegetables such as capsicum, red onion, tomatoes, beetroot and big chunks of feta as well as chopped fresh herbs.
It makes a fantastic couscous type salad.
Vanessa

Couscous can be quite bland and needs an Asian dressing. I cook my couscous, add shredded poached chicken then stir through my Asian dressing which was given to me by a friend. The flavour is really enhanced.

Cheers,

Beverley

Is your friend's Asian dressing a recipe Beverley? If so would you be able to share it here?
Regards,
Dawn.

Happy to share, Dawn

3 Tabs. Soy Sauce

2 Teasps. Sesame Oil

1 Tabs. Lemon Juice

2 Tabs. Lime Juice

1 Tsp. Brown Sugar

1 Tsp.minced Garlic

1 Tsp. Minced Ginger

Mix all together

I poach chicken breast and add cucumber, spring onion, celery, fresh coriander, thyme, mint, then fold the dressing through.

In my humble opinion, this dressing and couscous were made for each other !

Enjoy !

Thank you for sharing the recipe Beverley, it looks good and I've printed it out and will use it next time I'm making couscous - I love Asian flavours!
Regards,
Dawn.

Me too, Dawn, so subtle and always perfectly balanced.

Beverley

Beverley - what quantity of couscous does the dressing recipe cover?

Jenna,

I use 1 cup of Israeli CousCous to 2 cups water, plenty for 2 people. The dressing keeps well in the fridge, I often double it and use it as a marinade for steak or a pork chop.

Hope this helps,

Beverley

1 cup of water or stock to 1 cup of couscous and I always add a tablespoon of Olive oil.
Put boiled water in a saucepan and add cous cous and cover and leave for 5 mins.

I make sure I put a fork through it straight away otherwise I find it sticks.

I them add roast peppers, olives, feta, roast aubergine, cherry tomatoes.

I add a lemon or garlic Vinaigrette.

Israeli couscous takes longer to cook. Similar to rice.


Cheers

Beverley

Thanks for all your comments. I have had a busy few weeks and just got back to this - will be trying the above suggestions. Thanks so much.

Twice Cooked
[www.twicecooked.co.nz]

Beverley this week I am going to cook Israeli couscous for the first time & you say it takes longer can it be done in a rice cooker if yes then to what ratio? Thank you

I pup 1 cup of couscous in a bowl, add veg stock powder, and a drizzle of o/oli, then add 1 cup of boiling water and stir then cover and let sit for about 5 min... i then add as abouve roasted veggies chickpeas feta and lots of fresh cotiander and mint. Used to love the kato dressing chermoula, sadly they stopped making it. It was devine over anything like this

Israeli couscous only takes minutes longer than regular couscous. It's not suitable for the rice cooker.

Thanks Lorna I think I will do it with Karen’s recipe sounds nice & it is vegetarian which is good as our son-in-law is one. Need to make him happy.

Oh, and just in case you didn't realise, Lyn V, both varieties of couscous are pasta, not a grain.

It amazes me the number of people who seem to think couscous is some kind of healthy new age grain. They often won't even believe you when you tell them it's just pasta.

I've been served cous cous by friends who thought it was a gluten-free grain. I've also run across people who thought that semolina was a new age grain similar to quinoa and recommended it as a gluten-free breakfast cereal.