Couscous is made from semolina, a type of wheat that is a staple of north African and Moroccan cooking. It’s the ideal base for quick and easy lunches and a great way to bulk up any meal.
Instant couscous is also a fabulous ingredient to have in your pantry as a standby accompaniment to your mid-week dinners or as the star of a couscous salad for work as it literally takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
Here, we explain how to prepare nice and fluffy couscous without the lumps. It’s easy to get perfect, here’s how:
https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/food/cooking-tips/how-to-make-the-perfect-fluffy-couscous/
How To Make The Perfect Fluffy Couscous
How to cook couscous
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To make a simple couscous for four, you’ll need:
• 1½ cups (300 g) instant couscous
• 20 g butter, chopped
• 1¼ cups (310 ml) boiling water or chicken stock
Then, choose a medium-size shallow bowl or casserole dish so that the couscous grains don’t get weighed down. Add the couscous to the container and dot with the butter.
Evenly pour over boiling water or stock and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to stand for 5 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff the surface of the couscous until the grains are separate.
How to get fluffy couscous
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For extra soft and fluffy couscous you can steam the couscous in the microwave. Cover the couscous with plastic wrap and microwave on MEDIUM (50 per cent) power for 2 mins, stirring with a fork halfway through cooking.
Make it the star of the meal
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You can simply serve basic couscous as an accompaniment to your tagine recipes or hearty stews and casseroles but by adding a few simple flavours it becomes the star of the meal.
Try this Chicken Tagine With Couscous recipe.
Spicy couscous recipe
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Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, cook 2 tsps each of harissa paste and smoked paprika and 2 thinly sliced green onions, stirring, for 2 mins or until fragrant. Add couscous to the pan with 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar and stir to combine. Serve with fetta and extra green onion.
Olive and pine nut couscous recipe
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Stir ½ cup of pine nuts in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat for 3 mins or until golden. Add the couscous to the pan with ½ cup of sliced green Sicilian olives, 2 tsps of finely grated lemon rind, ¼ cup of lemon juice and ¼ cup of small flat leaf parsley leaves. Stir to combine.
Falafel Couscous Plate
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Why call takeout when this falafel couscous plate, packed with European flavours, only takes 10 minutes to put together! You got to try it to believe it.
Get The Recipe
Moroccan Couscous Salad
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An all-rounded and healthy Moroccan couscous salad. Dive in and relish tender lamb steaks alongside sautéd vegetables dressed in a zesty lemon dressing.
Get The Recipe
Turkish Chicken Couscous
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A healthy, wholesome dish – tender harissa paste chicken served with grated zucchini, chickpeas, couscous and natural yoghurt.
Get The Recipe
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly
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