In the Kitchen: Cheat Couscous with Six Vegetables

Finding it hard to cook after a long day’s work? Eating out while convenient can often be hard on the wallet and ineffective in the long run. Instant noodles will only get you so far, plus you gotta keep healthy! Recently tried this recipe for a quick and easy meal: all in one pot, nutritious and incredibly tasty. Thanks to K for suggesting we cook this.

Cheat Couscous with Six Vegetables
Source: SBS / Food Safari

Ingredients
Vegetables – swede, parsnip, carrot, zucchini and pumpkin
4 cups rich homemade stock
4 Roma tomatoes
1 tbsp each ground coriander, ginger, cumin and paprika
Handful of fresh coriander
Handful of fresh parsley
500g packet couscous
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
150g light blue vein cheese (like Castello)

Method
1. Cut vegetables into large pieces. Leave skin on pumpkin as it will help to hold it together. Place into base of a large steamer pot with stock and tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon each of ground coriander, ginger, cumin and paprika and add the coriander and parsley. Bring to the boil and meanwhile prepare couscous.

2. Empty couscous into a bowl. Add 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil and stir to coat. Add 1 tsp salt and small amounts of water and stir with the hands until grains are saturated. Transfer to the steamer basket and sit over the vegetables. Cover.

3. Once it begins to steam, remove from pot and empty into a bowl. Traditionally a type of rancid butter (smen) would be added for flavour, but a good substitute is a light blue vein cheese to add the same little kick. Crumble cheese over couscous while still warm and stir so that it melts through. Sprinkle with a little more water but don’t drown.

4. Return steamer to pot over the vegetables. Cover with lid and leave until steaming. When steaming, remove lid and turn couscous out onto a large platter. Spoon over vegetables and a little stock and serve.

Notes:

1. The original recipe is for seven vegetables, which included broad beans. I took it out because I’m allergic to them.
2. I cooked 2 of each of the vegetables listed.
3. Using the quantities above, we came up with enough to serve 8 generous or 10 average serves.
4. To watch a video of the cooking process, visit SBS Food

Happy Cooking!