Spicy Couscous with pumpkin, sweet potato & beans

[judydawn]

Name of Recipe:Spicy Couscous with pumpkin, sweet potato & beans (Nice served with Chicken Moolie)
Number of People: 4 - 6 serves as an accompaniment
Ingredients:

200g sweet potato cut into 2 cm cubes
250g pumpkin cut into 2 cm cubes
1.2 litres boiling water
125g green beans, sliced
2 tspn vegetable stock concentrate
1.5 tspn ground cumin
1 tspn ground cinnamon
1/4 tspn turmeric powder
210g couscous
1 tsp butter

Preparation:

Place steaming basket in the TM bowl, add the sweet potato then the pumpkin (in that order).
Add the 1.2 litres boiling water and cook 3 minutes/varoma temp/speed 3.
Add the sliced beans to the basket and cook 3 mins/varoma temp/speed 3.
Set vegies aside in the thermosaver and measure out 320g of the cooking water. Discard the rest.
Place the vegie water back into the bowl, add the veg. stock concentrate, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric.
Bring back to the boil 2 mins/varoma temp/speed 1.
Add the couscous and stir for 30 sec/reverse/speed 2. Remove the lid to check that all grains are wet then leave sit for 3 minutes.
Place in a large bowl, add the butter and fluff up with a fork.  Fold the vegies through the couscous and serve.

Recipe converted from the one on the packet of San Remo Couscous - half quantity.

[Twitterpated]

This looks really tasty JD. Couscous is one of those things I have never been able to sell the family on. I've never really found very many recipes that are anything more than couscous cooked in stock. These all seem to taste quite bland and therefore my family's reluctance to eat it more often than the very rare occasion. Do you have any more up your sleeve?

[judydawn]

Anymore what Twitterpated?

[johnro]

Thanks for this Judy, I love cous cous - often taking it for lunch.  Unfortunately I am alone in my like of this - DH does not like the 'graininess' of cous cous - who can figure that?   

[judydawn]

I quite like couscous salads in summer with roasted vegies but this was really nice with all the tasty juices from the curry - I'm sure your DH wouldn't notice the graininess so much if you served it with the chicken moolie Robyn. We've had so much rice lately, mashed potato wasn't the right thing to have with it so I'm glad I went with the couscous option here.

[Cuilidh]

This recipe sounds great, I would probably augment it with Chick Peas though to make it a full meal by itself, or perhaps with a couple of felafel and a salad on the side.

[faffa_70]

This recipe sounds great, I would probably augment it with Chick Peas though to make it a full meal by itself, or perhaps with a couple of felafel and a salad on the side.

I was just reading though the recipe thinking I would chuck in a tin of chick peas (I add them to most things these days lol) and low and behold someone else was thinking the same 

[judydawn]

Good thinking girls 

[johnro]

That is certainly a yes - great one Kathryn, I also add chick peas to so many dishes.   

[Twitterpated]

Any more couscous recipes JD 

[judydawn]

I've never done much with couscous Twitterpated but this is a salad recipe given to me years ago by my best friend.

Roasted Kumara, pinenut and couscous salad.

800g kumara, chopped coarsely
2 tblspns olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2- 2.5 cups couscous
1-1/3 - 2 cups boiling water
1 tsp salt
6 spring onions, sliced thinly
100g pinenuts, toasted
1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leafed parsley.

Orange dressing
2 tspn orange rind finely grated or zested
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tblspns lemon juice
2 tspn dijon mustard
1/4 cup EVOO
S & P

Preheat oven to 200^oC fan forced. Combine kumara and oil on a large tray and roast for 20 mins, add garlic and cook a further 10 mins or until brown and tender.
Place couscous into a large bowl, add boiling water and salt.  Stand 5 mins until liquid is absorbed.
Fluff up with a fork then combine all ingredients and toss in the dressing.

[Cuilidh]

mmmmm that looks nice - the dressing sounds nice and tangy.  I think you could add a lot to this salad (like chick peas, for instance!) and it would still be a success - another one to add to my recipe folder.  Thanks JD

[jeninwa]

Yum they both sound nice, which one to try first

[judydawn]

I still have 2 serves left of this couscous so I've been searching for recipes using leftovers.  Found some great recipes here if you want to check them out. Looks like cheesy cauliflower couscous is on the menu for tomorrow night or will I do the Salmon couscous patties. Off to do some more browsing -there are 91 recipes on this site.

[johnro]

Judy I took your recommendation and served spicy couscous with the moolie chicken - enjoyed by all including DH who is taking leftovers for lunch today.  Claims that his usual dislike of cous cous is masked by the tasty sauce, so it is great that there is an excess of sauce - - thank you for another great one Judy.