Healthy & Quick Vegan Meal
Couscous, often mistakenly called a grain, is actually a pasta made up of tiny pearls of wheat dough. It is a traditional North African dish of semolina (granules of duram wheat), which is cooked by steaming.It has 3.6 g of protein for every 100 grams.
Couscous is a good replacement for rice and other types of pastas.One cup of cooked Moroccan couscous has 176 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. It’s sugar- and fat-free and contains about 66% of the recommended daily dose of selenium.Whole wheat couscous is more nutritious that the regular variety. It’s made from whole wheat durum flour. It contains 5 to 6 grams of fiber per serving, which can help you meet the recommended daily amount of fiber.
Couscous has a mild flavor which makes it extremely versatile. It works well with different flavors, both sweet and savory can be flavored by nearly any fruit, vegetable, meat, seafood, herb or spice you can imagine. It’s light, quick and easy to make and . You can get couscous at any supermarket.
There are two types couscous available in the supermarkets.
First one is Israeli Pearl Couscous :
These semolina pellets are about the size of peppercorns and will take much longer to cook. This type is usually steamed in the traditional long-cooking method or stirred as one would rice in a risotto.
Small Moroccan Couscous:
Tiny grains of semolina are about three times the size of a grain of cornmeal. This type cooks very quickly
Couscous can be found in any of the supermarkets in the US. You can get at at Walmart neighborhood market or online at the Amazon.I usually buy boxed couscous from Trader Joes. Ok so, here I’m sharing one of my savory recipe ‘Couscous Pilaf’. I have used small Moroccan Couscous for this.It’s a great vegetarian dish. A delight, summer or winter.
Ingredients You need:
- Coucous = 1 Cup
- Water = 1 Cup
- Olive Oil = 1 Tbsp
- Rosemary leaves = 1Tsp
- Basil leaves = 1 Tsp
- Garlic Cloves = 2
- Diced Onions =2 Tbsp
- Diced Tomatoes = 1/2 Cup
- Garlic Powder = 1 Tsp
- Diced Mushrooms = 1 Cup
- Cumin Powder = 1 Tsp
- Chickpeas = 1 Can
- Chopped Green Onions/Shallots = 1/2 Cup
- Chilli Paste = 2 Tsp
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Heat Oil in a sauce pan. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, onions. Cook for 3-4 mins stirring occasionally until turn golden brown.
- Next add mushrooms and cook it for 2 -3 mins then add rosemary leaves, Basil leaves and half can of tomatoes. Let it cook until the tomatoes soften up. Add Chickpeas.
- Next add Salt, Chilli paste & cumin powder.
- Now add 1cup water and bring it to boil.
- Pour in 1cup couscous to the boiled water.Stir well and Cover the lid.
- Turn off the stove.Let it sit for 2mins.
- After 2mins fluff it with a fork.
- Garnish with Shallots and green onions & Enjoy 🙂
Chichealthylifestyle 