This recipe works well either as main course on its own or as an accompaniment to roast vegetables, gilled lamb chops or a slow coked stew.
Cooking couscous is a process of rehydrating it and heating it through. Steaming works well, but it can be prepared in a saucepan. Experience suggests that tinned chick peas are the right thing for this recipe, soaking and boiling dried ones does produce a slightly different texture, but requires some advanced planning.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 lb (500 gm) Couscous
1 450 gm tin of Chick peas
4 Tablespoons (50 ml) Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley
Equipment
Steamer
Method
Place the couscous in a bowl and pour 1 pint (500ml) of boiling water over it, fork it around for a minute. Leave for half an hour (don't leave it longer). Whilst the couscous is soaking, get the steamer working. Drain the chick peas and put them in the steamer, cover them with chunks of soaked couscous, break the lumps up, but make sure that there are gaps the steam can pass through, otherwise the steam goes round the couscous. Steam for 20 - 30 minutes. Tip the contents of the steamer into the serving boil, fork in the oil and parsley and fork out the lumps.
If you are not using a steamer, increase the amount of boiling water to 800 ml. After half an hour, cook in a saucepan for 15 minutes, continually forking it around to prevent burning and sticking. Add the chick peas in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Comment
According to taste, this dish can absorb generous amounts of oil and parsley.
Page Created: 29th December 2000