Couscous Kajoo


The other day, I got inspired by this Joyous Health post about quinoa and was all set to cook with it for the first time tonight. Alas, I was met with looks of sheer confusion when I asked for it at all three of the major grocery stores. To be fair, the last place I looked was a Longo's Market, which is a scaled down version of their full store.

Since nobody seemed to know what the hell I was talking about, I settled for some whole wheat couscous instead. To go with it, I picked up a ripe avocado, grape tomatoes, and grilled salmon. One of the great things about things like couscous is their absolute versatility. Like a blank canvas, couscous (and quinoa) acts as a textural backdrop to whatever ingredients you add to it.

I just followed the instructions on the box, which are pretty straightforward. Boil water with oil or butter, and salt. Once the water's boiled, stir in the couscous and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. To the water, before boiling, I threw in a tablespoon of dehydrated onion I had sitting in the pantry, some Trader Joe's "Everyday Seasoning", and about a quarter cup of frozen peas.

Such a satisfying dish, with, if I do say so myself, a fantastic variety of flavours and textures that all played very well together. The next batch I do, I think I'll incorporate the chickpeas and mushrooms I've got. How do you like your couscous?

5 comments:

Steph C said...

You can find quinoa at Essence of Life Organics in Kensington Market. Sounds like a good recipe, with the couscous even.

Scott Snider said...

I saw some Quinoa for sale the other day; I think it might have been at a Loblaws as part of their "Ancient Grains" product line...and possibly in their organic products section instead of their regular section. If I can confirm that I will.

Bev Wooding said...

Thanks, guys. I did manage to find some at the Liberty Village Metro, but always happy to find more sources.

cara @ City Girl Chicago said...

I make couscous using low sodium broth to give a little more flavor to the dish. Also, I love a good quinoa, however I've yet to figure out the perfect way to strain it without getting little granuals in my kitchen sink!

Bev Wooding said...

Hmmm. The instructions on the brand I bought indicate there shouldn't be any liquid left to strain. How do you cook it?

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