The best part about couscous is that it cooks in five minutes. And it soaks up flavors so well. And it’s light and fluffy. And, oh yeah, you could be eating it less than 10 minutes from now.
This recipe involves slightly more prep, but it’s still absurdly easy. We ate this as a side with a goat rack rubbed with ras el hanout. It works hot or cold, and is great with tzaziki.
Curried Couscous with Cranberries
- 1 cup uncooked couscous
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I chopped these smaller)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds (my addition)
To prepare couscous, heat a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with a little bit of olive oil. Add onion to pan and sauté until soft, about two minutes. Stir in cranberries, water, juice and curry powder; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous and almonds. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add cilantro; fluff with a fork.
Serve as a side or a quick lunch. It’s especially nice with tzaziki (plain yogurt, cucumbers, lemon juice, mint, green onion, white pepper, salt).