Curried Couscous - A jiffy, perfect and healthy dinner

Hello Friends,


You know how sometimes you are so pressed for time, and you don't want to eat the same roti sabzi or rice/dal combo. This is a recipe that I just make for one of those days. Usually, after I come back from office and after picking 2 kids (one from day care and one from school day care), it is 6 pm and then I have to have the food ready by 6:30 pm (max on most of the days). Now you ask why that deadline. Firstly, because if I don't meet that deadline, my hubby and kids start eating junk to fill their tummy as we are all hungry and that doesn't go well with "finish your dinner by 7" agenda and to get at least 2 hours before going to la-la land by kids. Secondly, most of the days, my 1st grader has some activities that he needs to be at. Like, Monday is his Piano class, Tuesday is Kumon, Wednesday (thankfully nothing), Thursday is Ice Skating and Friday is Kumon again and then weekends don't exist at all. You got the picture. 


So, basically some of the weekdays, this curried couscous is a life saver. Takes about 15 min. to put together and a complete meal with some yogurt on the side. any leftovers are nice for left day lunch as well.


Curried Couscous

Ingredients
Couscous - 1.5 cups (this is usually enough for all of us - 2 adults and 2 kids)
Mixed Frozen Veggies - 1.5 cups (feel free to use fresh and add time to cook them as well)
Onion - 1 cup, sliced or finely chopped as you prefer
Tomato - 1 cup, sliced or finely chopped as you prefer
Ginger / Garlic - 1 tbsp each, mined or paste or shredded, as you prefer
Spices (feel free to add any mix of spice you like here)
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1.5 tsp (adjust per your need and feel free to use green chili instead, if you prefer that)
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - per your taste
Tempering
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Cilantro for garnishing (if you like)
Preparation

• Take a non-stick pan or any pot you make your curry in.
• Add all tempering ingredients and let the seeds splutter.
• Add onion, ginger and garlic and cook till onion is translucent (if you are using green chili, add it in this step).
• Add tomatoes and all spices and cook till tomatoes are kind of mushy.
• Add frozen veggies and cook till they are cooked (frozen kind cook fast, about 5 min., for fresh veggies, you will need more time depending on which veggies you are using).
• Add 2 cups of water, cover and let it come to boil (usually it is 1 to 1 ratio between couscous and water, but, here I add little extra due to veggies).
• Add couscous to boiling mixture, mix, cover nicely and switch off the heat and let it sit for 5 min.
• Fluff the couscous after 5 minutes and it is ready to be served. Wasn't that easy? :)

Serving
Serve it with a simple bowl of unflavored yogurt or your favorite raita.


This goes to Global Food Festival hosted by Kalyani.

That's all for now. Take care till next post.