Couscous Salad with Spicy Sautéed Vegetables
Published in Salads
Serve at room temperature, or lightly chilled.
Ingredients:
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 10 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml ground ginger
- 3 ml ground cinnamon
- 1 brinjal (200 gr) diced, degorged
- 1 large red pepper, seeded, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 250 ml instant couscous
- 2 ml turmeric
- 60 ml toasted sunflower seeds
- 60 ml currants
- 60 ml coarsely chopped dhania
- 4 – 6 spring onions, chopped
- 250 ml canned/home-cooked chickpeas (optional)
Ingredients: Dressing:
- 45 ml olive oil
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 5 – 10 ml runny honey
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- Over a low heat, in a frying pan, sauté the spices for a minute or so until fragrant.
- Add the brinjal, pepper and garlic, toss to coat, add a splash of water, cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender – about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Prepare the couscous as per the package instructions, adding the turmeric to the salted boiling water.
- Leave to stand for about 15 minutes, then, using a fork stir up the couscous to break up the lumps.
- Combine the couscous with the contents of the frying pan, the sunflower seeds, currants, coriander and spring onions.
- Pour over the dressing and fork through the mixture, mixing lightly but thoroughly.Cool, covered lightly.
Notes:
- In place of the sunflower seeds use chopped nuts – if the budget can stand it pistachio nuts are especially good here.
- Any other dried fruit, like chopped apricots are excellent could replace the currants
Serves 6 – 8.
