6 Ways with Pearl Couscous

6 Ways with Something Extra / Quick Meals from the Pantry

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Couscous is a popular staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. While it looks like a grain, couscous is actually a pasta made from semolina (a flour derived from durum wheat). Healthy and delicious, couscous is a versatile ingredient that can be used in salads, soups and stews. Most of the couscous available in Australia is a Moroccan style couscous which has a very fine grain and cooks so quickly it’s usually referred to as instant couscous.

pearl-couscousPearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, is not as common in Australia as instant couscous, but can generally be found in a well-stocked supermarket. Larger than instant couscous, it has a slightly chewier texture and takes a little longer to cook. It can be used in salads, soups and stews, and, given its texture, it can also be substituted for rice in many dishes. Like rice, it can also just be boiled in water or stock and served plain as a side dish. (See One Pot Rice Dishes from the Pantry, remembering that it needs a little less water and time to cook.)

You can find recipes for Instant Couscous in the entry Quick and Healthy Snacks: Instant Couscous or you can just enter ‘couscous’ into ‘Search’.

 

Recipes:

Pearl Couscous Salad

Pearl Couscous Pilau

Pearl Couscous with Spicy Chicken

Pearl Couscous with Spicy Vegetables

Pearl Couscous with Mediterranean Beans

Pearl Couscous with Mushrooms, Spinach and Bacon

 

Pearl Couscous Salad

  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • ½ Lebanese cucumber (or ¼ Granny Smith apple)
  • 3–4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ cup mushrooms, red capsicum (or red onion) and/or carrot, chopped
  • 2 tsp. basil pesto
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

 

  1. Place couscous in a 1 litre bowl, stir in ¼ cup boiling water, cover tightly and microwave on high for 2 minutes
  2. Stir, then let stand covered for 10 minutes
  3. Peel (optional) and chop cucumber or apple
  4. Place vegetables on couscous
  5. Stir pesto into olive oil
  6. Drizzle over salad and stir in thoroughly

Variation: omit basil pesto and add a little paprika or mild curry powder at Step 1

 

Pearl Couscous Pilau

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ½ cup carrot and red capsicum, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. sultanas
  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • Mild curry powder
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with curry powder
  2. Add vegetables and sauté
  3. Add couscous and stir until translucent
  4. Add 2/3 cup boiling water with sultanas
  5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

 

Pearl Couscous with Spicy Chicken

  • 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
  • ¼ cup red capsicum and carrot, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, pepper and mild curry powder
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add capsicum and carrot and sauté until wilted
  3. Add 1/3 cup boiling water with stock powder and tomato paste and bring to the boil
  4. Add couscous and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water if required
  5. Add chicken and stir until heated through

Variations: substitute

  • cooked chicken or turkey for the canned chicken
  • 1–2 slices roast beef and ½ tsp. soy sauce for the chicken and chicken stock powder
  • ¼ cup frozen peas or corn for the capsicum and carrot

 

Pearl Couscous with Spicy Vegetables

  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (or see below)
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, pepper and mild curry powder
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add mixed vegetables and sauté until heated through
  3. Add 1/3 cup water with stock powder
  4. Bring to the boil and add couscous
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally and adding more water if required

Variation: suitable for carrot, celery, frozen peas or corn, green beans, coleslaw mix, sweet potato, zucchini

 

Pearl Couscous with Mediterranean Beans

  • 125gm can four bean mix or chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped
  • Garlic, dried onion, chilli (or paprika), basil and pepper
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté capsicum with garlic, chilli and pepper
  2. Add diced tomatoes with basil and dried onion
  3. Add beans and sauté until heated through
  4. Add couscous with ¼ cup boiling water
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally and adding more water if required

Variations: substitute ½ cup frozen peas for the canned beans

 

Pearl Couscous with Mushrooms, Spinach and Bacon

  • ¼ cup pearl couscous
  • 2–3 mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onions
  • 2 tbsp. diced bacon
  • ½ cup spinach leaves (or rocket), chopped
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic granules, pepper and parsley
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté diced bacon with mushrooms, garlic and pepper
  2. Add couscous and sauté
  3. Stir in 1/3 cup boiling water with stock powder and parsley
  4. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  5. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and lemon juice
  6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
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