Friday Fun: Food Fiesta

Yep...you read it right. It's back - just not every fortnight though (which means I'll have to go re-label the old posts - gah!). Just when the mood strikes - which will only be on a Friday. Shall be interspersed with the Friday Fun Fact/Fiction, and maybe Friday jokes. The day shall be for fun. Friday Fun. See?

So - this is for OTP, and Space Bar, and Cynic, who complain about making something quick and easy. It's healthy, it requires NO cooking, and it's scrumptious.

And most of all, it's for Pri, who never cooks any of it and loves to make fun of all the ideas (my butter-and-rice still rocks, btw).

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Easy Couscous Dish

Time Required:
10-30 minutes (depending on method)

Keep Ready (for 2):
Couscous, one cup
Olive oil
Cucumber, small one, quartered slices
Tomatoes, two, medium chunks
Red onion, half, sliced
Spring onions, two, chopped
Coloured bell peppers, one in total, sliced
Olives, pitted, handful
Raisins, handful
Feta, cubed
Green tabasco sauce
Lemon juice
Coriander, chopped roughly
Mint leaves
Oregano, pepper, salt

Then:
The couscous can be prepared in one of two ways. The first, most common, and easier method is to place the couscous in a bowl with an equal amount of boiling water, cover the bowl and leave for 5 minutes, and then add some oil and separate grains with a fork. The couscous is fine if made this way.

However, the fancier, better, and traditional (or so I believe - help me out here, Szerlem) method is to steam the couscous, which helps it absorb the moisture gradually, and fluffs it out beautifully into plump, individual grains. To do this, use a normal vegetable steamer. Failing that, put the couscous into a steel bowl and simmer it in a pressure cooker - without the whistle on. Failing that, place the couscous in a colander, and put it in a water bath. For any of these three methods, give it at least 15 minutes, and ideally about 25 minutes*.

While the couscous is getting ready, chop up everything else.

When the couscous is done, add some olive oil and mix well. Then add everything else in, season to taste, and garnish with coriander and slices of lemon.

Serve, with triangles of toasted pitta, and (of course) hummus.

Why you should try this:
People, no cooking. And it has vegetables. And it has a wonderful blend of sweet and spicy and savoury and crunchy and ...err...softie (?). And couscous is far more nutritious than rice, and lighter to eat as well.

This dish is ideal for the summer as a side-dish; or, if you make enough, can serve as your main course.

Focus on:
1) Add as many or as little of the ingredients, but make sure there's enough variation of colour.
2) The Green tabasco sauce. This is just...wow. And it totally transforms the dish.
3) Lemons are preferable to lime - it just is for this dish.

Variations:
1) If you can't find couscous, use bulgur wheat. Not quite the same though.
2) If you don't have feta, try some holoumi. Or, as a last resort, paneer - but this has to be firm paneer. And you should grill it.
3) If you can't find green tabasco, try some green jalapeno sauce.
4) If you like it spicy, add some sliced jalapenoes, or some chopped green chilli.
5) Add some cooked prawns, or some falafel.


* This one food show I saw (Rick Stein perhaps) found this place in .... somewhere... where they steam the couscous for four hours. But they were gorgeous.