spiced couscous with broccoli

spiced couscous with broccoli
serves 1

Couscous is brilliant for fast easy meals. And it’s perfect for ‘kettle cooking’ because all you need is some boiling water and a little time. Feel free to play around with the accompaniments.

1/2 head broccoli
50g-75g (1/4 – 1/3 cup) couscous
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes or powder, optional
handful almonds

1. Pop your kettle on to boil.

2. Chop broccoli into tiny trees about the size of a grape & place in a heatproof container.

3. Add couscous, cumin and chilli. Drizzle with olive oil. Season.

4. Cover with boiling water. Top with a lid or foil. Stand for about 5 minutes.

5. Top with almonds & fluff couscous with your fork.

leftover potential?

Will keep in the fridge for a week or so. Warm up in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove top.

variations for fun

gluten-free – replace the couscous with 1/2 can chickpeas or lentils. Or use a few handfuls of pre cooked quinoa.

different veg – replace the broccoli with frozen peas or finely sliced fresh veg. Snow peas, sugarsnap peas, celery & carrots are all good.

different spices – replace the cumin and chilli with curry powder or garam marsala for a more indian vibe.

tomato & basil – replace the broccoli with halved cherry tomatoes and serve topped with a handful of torn fresh basil leaves.

nut-free – just skip the almonds or replace them with a few tablespoons finely chopped red onion added at the same time as the broccoli.

higher protein – add in a handful of torn cooked chicken breast or a drained can of tuna.

richer – add in a generous knob of butter as well as or instead of the olive oil.

problem solving guide

too watery – next time use a smaller container. For now, you could drain off some of the water.

couscous sticking together – make sure you don’t forget to be generous with the olive oil and fluff the couscous with a fork before eating.

too bland – season with a little more salt & pepper.

serving suggestions

Great as a super quick lunch or dinner on its own. Or use as a side dish to roast or BBQ chicken.
_________________

back to: Super Quick Cooking Overview