Wednesday, September 21, 2011

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.

46 comments:

alpana said...

Couscous looks awesome........Very nice presentation.

sangeeta said...

Nice healthy meal it is. I love one such daliya tahiri i make , i mostly add soya granules or mung sprouts too :)
These recipes are life savers for us :)

Aarthi said...

This recipe looks so good...You have made it perfect...Will surely try soon...Thanks for the recipe...

Aarthi
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/

Torviewtoronto said...

delicious way to enjoy couscous
hope you can join the food palette series rainbow colours the final event for this series :)

Sumee said...

That does look simple.. BTW your evening itenary looks very similar to mine. :o)

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Amazingly delicious and vibrant looking preparation.

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

Shobha said...

Hi Priya,
Lovely recipe..looks like upma with vegetables.
I have tagged you.. see my post for the questions.

http://foodmazaa.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-am-tagged-2-seven-links-game.html

Shobha

Pushpa said...

Healthy and yummy mea with lots of veggies.

Rinku Naveen said...

That looks yummy! Love such quick recipes..

Prathima Rao said...

Healthy & a tasty dish!!!! Looks too inviting!!!
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Delicious and healthy recipe...Quick too

Sobha Shyam said...

lovely recipe Priya, looks so delicious and healthy

Priya Suresh said...

Thats so filling and flavourful dish,looks awesome..

divya said...

Omg, mouthwatering here..wat a fabulous dish...

Sensible Vegetarian said...

Delicious and colorful one Dear. Looks fantastic.

Raks said...

I always want to try couscous. Nice recipe!

lavina agarwal said...

thats a yummy and simple recipe. have never used causcous, but have some lying in my pantry from a frined who was going back to india..will definitely try this..

Prema said...

Fantastic recipe dear,sure it taste delicious...Healthy dinner...

aipi said...

Totally love this ~ a savior for sure!
USMasala

Amina Creations said...

It looks yummy.. and that too in just 15 minutes... great..

chef and her kitchen said...

nicely done couscous recipe..

Vardhini said...

Healthy and tasty Priya.

Vardhini
Zesty Palette

Unknown said...

Absolutely healthy and colourful dish.

Suja Manoj said...

Quick recipe,delicious and healthy..yum

Kaveri Venkatesh said...

Healthy and delicious and very quick too

Gopika Ram said...

Wow.. Priya.. I am yet to buy Couscous but I'll surely buy them this weekend and try this recipe :) Bookmarked :)

Julie said...

looks delicious n yummy..

Hi dear,
I have changed my blog's name from TASTY TREAT to ERIVUM PULIYUM
URL http://erivumpuliyumm.blogspot.com
Please unfollow the previous URL and follow me on my present URL for my latest updates for your valued suggestions and comments on my post !!Hope you will cooperate..
Sorry for the inconvenience..
please ignore if already done..
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Julie of(was)Tasty Treat now ERIVUM PULIYUM

Sobha Shyam said...

an award is waiting for u at my space dear :)

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

yummm ...this looks super tempting priya...:P
Tasty Appetite

Rajani said...

That's a pretty pressing timeline for you to handle after work. But I guess you just get used to it, right? I really admire my friends who handle home and work successfully. I know its not an easy task, but still they wouldn't have it any other way. hats off to you :)

couscous looks yummy too!

Jayanthy Kumaran said...

sounds yumm n delicious...nice preparation..:)
Tasty Appetite

Vidhya said...

Sounds like a winner recipe for the busy week days.I am bookmarking this.

abraham said...

Nice healthy meal it is.

Kalyani said...

this looks yum ! if possible do send this across to my event on Global Foods dear !

Cheers
Kalyani
Join me in a 100-day Global Food Festival here
Event ending Sep 30th: Fasting Foods(Vrat ka Khaana Special)

Mehjabeen Arif said...

Looks very healthy and colorful !!

Sanjeeta kk said...

All time fav. healthy and yum!

Rani acharyulu said...

Delicious and healthy full meal cous cous looks yummy!!

San said...

Couscous is such a comfort food. I cheat with my meals when i have no time with couscous and a healthy veggie as a side. Curried couscous is yum priya.

R said...

Looks delicious and colorful priya, very healthy too!

Sanctified Spaces said...

Another healthy recipe.Must try.

Umm Mymoonah said...

Loved your version of couscous, looks very delicious.

Miri said...

I find most couscous recipes so bland - but this ourried recipe is perfect!

Namitha said...

Love this kind of one pot meal :-)

Unknown said...

That cous cous looks excellent. I had never through about making cous cous with curry before, however, I recently saw prepared (packaged) curry cous cous at a grocery store.

Clearly, your version looks like it tastes exponentially better.

David Franklin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

No David, this is not a Maharaja Pulao, it is a simple and healthy dish with "Couscous" and pulao is cooked with "Rice".

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