About a ¼ mug of dry couscous should be enough for one person.
- Pour a portion of couscous per person into a measuring jug and note where it comes up to.
- Pour on boiling water to twice the depth of the couscous.
- Cover with a plate and leave for about 10 minutes.
- Fluff up with a fork, allow to dry for a few minutes and it is ready to serve.
For extra flavour, add any or a combination of several of the following: a knob of butter, a tablespoon of salad dressing, a squeeze of lemon juice and grated lemon zest, a pinch of mixed spice, a sprinkling of chopped parsley or mint or coriander leaves. Or you can replace the hot water with boiling stock.
That’s all there is to it.
While you are waiting for the couscous to absorb the water, you can be cooking your main dish eg stir-fried veggies, mince, pasta sauce, curried chick peas or leftovers. Couscous is particularly good with roasted veggies eg pumpkin & onions; courgettes, peppers, tomatoes and garlic; roasted tomatoes, basil or rosemary, feta cheese and olive oil.
If you have the time and inclination, you can fancy it up by pressing each portion into a small mould (such as those little plastic bowls that individual fruit salads or mousses come in) and turning it out on the plate. Then decorate with a sprig of fresh herb eg mint, basil or rosemary
Mary Venning