Curried couscous

Posted by trish on Jan 15, 2012 in Eat | 1 comment

I’ve blogged this recipe before but it’s in the archives so I thought I’d put it up again, given the time of year.  This is a great salad to serve with bbq’d chicken or lamb.  My kids can make it, and they love to eat it.  And whenever I serve it up to guests, they ask for the recipe.

It comes from this book, which I first saw on the kitchen shelf of my American by-marriage-aunt, Susie.  When I went to New York in 2004 I bought myself a copy of it, and it falls open to this recipe.

Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa) – she has a website with more recipes!

Curried Couscous

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup plain yoghurt

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

half cut grated carrot

half cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley (Continental or Italian)

half a cup dried currants

1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds (pine nuts are also good)

2 spring onions (scallions) thinly sliced, white and green parts

1/4 finely diced red onion

Place the couscous in a medium bowl.  Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous.  Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for five minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Whisk together the yoghurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, tumeric, salt and pepper.  Pour over the fluffed couscous and mix well with a fork.  Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, spring onions and red onions, mix well and taste for seasoning.  Serve at room temperature.