Spicy Couscous Recipes

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute peppers and onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until flavors are blended., Stir in couscous; cover and cook 4-6 minutes longer or until couscous is tender. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in large pan. add the cumin,garlic,coriander and paprika and fry over a gentle heat for 1 min,stirring.
• Add the stock and saffron and bring to the boil. Add the spring onion and then pour in the couscous in a steady stream and give it a quick stir.
• Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid, remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes, to allow the grains to swell and absorb the stock.
• If you are serving this warm, stir in the rest of the oil and the remaining ingredients now. Otherwise allow the couscous to cool and chill in the fridge for 1 hour before adding the other ingredients for a yummy cold couscous salad.

Steps:

• In a medium-size skillet heat the oil.
• Add green onions, sweet pepper, garlic, tomatoes and zucchini; saute 5 min, stirring.
• Remove from heat and keep warm.
• In a medium-size saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients, mix, cover and let stand 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Add the first mixture and fluff with a fork.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute garlic with red pepper flakes for 2 minutes being careful not to burn garlic. Add the chicken broth, turn up heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and fluff with fork. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place cut vegetables on a baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in oven and roast for about 10 minutes. Place couscous in a heat proof bowl and stir in all the spices and orange juice. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and pour over the couscous making sure it covers the couscous mixture completely. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and leave for 5 to 10 minutes or until all the stock is absorbed. Stir in the herbs, olive oil, grated lemon zest and juice. Fluff the couscous with a fork and toss with roasted vegetables.

Steps:

• Prepare couscous with chicken stock, according to the packet instructions. Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onion for 2-3 mins until softened.
• Toss in chicken breast fillets and stir fry for 5-6 mins until tender. Add the blanched almonds and, when golden, stir in the hot curry paste and cook for 1 min more.
• Add the couscous along with the apricots and the coriander. Toss until hot then serve with plain yogurt if you like.

Steps:

• Prepare the chickpeas for the stew: Put chickpeas in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add onion stuck with cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and carrot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 45 minutes or so, until tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and let chickpeas cool in their broth. May be cooked a day or 2 ahead. Alternatively, use 2 cups canned chickpeas.
• Make the couscous: Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add corn kernels and season generously with salt and pepper, then sauté, stirring, for a minute or so. Add couscous, cinnamon, saffron (if using), turmeric and 3 cups water, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring. Put the lid on and turn off heat. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes, then fluff. Taste and adjust salt, then keep warm. Or, for lighter, more tender couscous grains, follow step 3 (optional).
• Spread warm couscous on a baking sheet to let cool to room temperature, then rake with fingers to remove clumps. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cold water. Then place couscous in top compartment of a steamer and put water in bottom compartment. To steam, bring water to a boil, then reduce heat but leave at a rapid simmer. Steam for 15 minutes, covered. Keep warm.
• Make the stew: Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until somewhat softened. Add garlic, tomato paste, pimentón, red pepper flakes, cumin and coriander and stir to coat.
• Add sweet peppers, zucchini and tomatoes and season generously with salt. Add cooked chickpeas and 3 cups chickpea cooking liquid or water. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add okra, cover again and cook for 5 minutes more, until all vegetables are soft. Check seasoning of broth and adjust if necessary.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto: Put cilantro, serrano chile, garlic, cumin, olive oil and salt in a food processor and pulse to a rough purée. Transfer to a small serving bowl. To keep green color, add lime juice just before serving.
• To serve, ladle stew (with plenty of broth) into large wide bowls or deep plates. Nestle a large spoonful of couscous on the side. Pass the spicy pesto separately, telling everyone to add pesto to taste.

Steps:

• Combine cumin and ginger. Crush garlic, and add to spices. Wash and dry pork, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Roll the pork in the spice mixture, and set aside.
• Following the package directions, bring the beef stock to a boil. Add the couscous, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, until the couscous has absorbed the liquid.
• Heat nonstick skillet until it is very hot; reduce heat to medium high, and add oil. Saute pork cubes until they are brown on all sides and slightly pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wash, trim and coarsely chop tomatoes. Pit and chop olives. Wash, trim and cut the scallions into thin rounds. Wash and chop cilantro and mint. Add tomatoes, olives, scallions and lemon juice to couscous. When pork cubes are cooked, stir into mixture. Stir in the cilantro and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Tip the couscous and chickpeas into a bowl and pour over the stock. Cover and leave for 5-10 mins until the couscous has absorbed the stock. Allow to cool a little. Toss through the lemon zest and juice, pepper, almonds and mint. Spoon into a container, then top with the yogurt and a drizzle of harissa.