Cheat's Easy Spiced Couscous With Fruit and Nuts - in a Jar!

French Tart's Note:

A Brilliant and easy accompaniment to a Fragrant Tagine, Stew or Curry. It's a cheat's recipe as you can pre-mix all the dry ingredients together & store in a jar ready for use at the drop of a hat. Just add hot water or hot stock and voila, a wonderful fruity, spiced couscous! It can be used cold for picnic & buffet salads - cold cuts of meat, such as diced cooked chicken breast can be added too. Also a great veggie main course - just add chargrilled vegetables and mix through - serve with flatbreads, pitta bread & harissa dressing for an extra kick!

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 250 g couscous
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or 4 ounces melted butter
• 4 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mix or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander , Cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts , lightly toasted under a grill
• 6 -8 soft dried apricots , chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons golden sultana raisins
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 tablespoon garlic granules , NOT salt
• 300 ml hot vegetable stock , made with salt free cube if possible such as Marigold Swiss Vegetable
• 1 ounce butter (to garnish)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander , cilantro

Directions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
2. (The amounts can be doubled or even quadrupled for long term storage of up to 6 -9 months.).
3. When you are ready to prepare the couscous, measure out the correct serving of dry ingredients into a large bowl, preferably the one you will be serving it from. The dry & wet combination is given above in the ingredients.
4. Add the olive oil or butter & mix thoroughly.
5. Add the boiling stock and mix thoroughly - place a clean tea towel over the top of the bowl and leave for 5 minutes.
6. Fluff up the couscous after 5 minutes & add more liquid if needed.
7. Add a knob of butter or a teaspoon of live oil - mix & sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander - cilantro before serving.
8. You could also add more nuts or fruit as a garnish if you wish.
9. This is a basic recipe - all kinds of dried fruit and nuts can be used such as: almonds, cashew nuts, dried cherries or cranberries, dried banana or coconut. It will depend on what you will be serving it with!

Reviews

[lolablitz]

Best couscous I've made yet! I didn't have apricots or fresh cilantro, but followed the rest to a "t" and it was fabulous. I used a little over 1 cup of couscous and 1.5 cups of veggie broth. I will be making again and again, thanks French Tart!

[Queen Dana]

This was very flavorful. I added some extras like currants and pistachios. My cilantro was bad, unfortunately, so I just picked off the last couple green leafs to garnish the couscous. Made for ZWT6.

[mersaydees]

Made as directed and served last night with my DH's Vindaloo Lamb. Great flavor combination and love that I can mix and match fruits and nuts to fit what's in my pantry. Thanks, FT! Made for Veggie Recipe Swap.