pistachio and lime cous cous

Sat, Jun 2, 2012

This is actually a random cous cous based on the Veganomicon’s recipe by the same name, plus some additions (and subtractions) according to sensory inspiration. Thanks to my friend KSQ for prompting me to pin this down before i forget about the way i changed the base recipe 🙂

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups big-grain cous cous
• 2 ¹⁄₂ cups water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch Italian saffron powder
• ¹⁄₄ tsp ground cardamom
• freshly ground pepper
• salt
• zest from 1 lime
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh mint
• ¹⁄₂ cup chopped dried apricots, chopped to the size of raisins
• ¹⁄₂ cup ground pistachio (i use ground pistachio from Bronte, Sicily – any good shelled pistachio, ground or whole, will do)
• juice from ¹⁄₂ lime
• 1 red sweet pointy pepper, chopped in thin slivers
• a handful of dates, chopped in quarters
• ¹⁄₂ cup of pitted olives – i use some very tasty ones, mix of green and kalamata, in chilli oil. i totally love how olives balance the sweet fruit in the mix.
• a couple tbsp of sultanas, soaked in hot water for a few minutes

Sauté garlic in oil for 1 min on med-lo heat, add couscous, stir for 4-5 min on med heat until it starts to lightly toast.

Add water, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamon, pepper, salt and lime zest. Raise heat and bring to boil.

Once boiling, lower heat to min and cover. In 10ish min the water should have been absorbed… add mint, apricots, pistachios and lime juice.

Stir, cover and cook for 5 more min.

Remove the cinnamon stick, fluff the couscous with a fork, garnish with more mint and serve!

I’d recommend to only add pistachio just before serving, or even let people pick it from a bowl and sprinkle over their couscous themselves – especially if you use ground pistachio.