Couscous recipes:-)

I have never cooked this before. So what can I add to it to make it yummy? And would I just serve it with meat? Thanks!

Yummo! ! I love couscous!
I make a salad with roasted onions, red, green and orange peppers, garlic whatever else is in the fridge, feta, sundried tomatos (and some of the oil they come in)
I make the couscous with stock (or stock cubes) rather than just water. It is my bbq salad and always goes down well.

sarahw2, most couscous that we can buy is instant couscous so it doesn't require any 'cooking' as such but it is indeed a very useful product to keep in the pantry. Couscous can be used for

** warm or cold salads - here's the link to a couscous version of tabbouleh:-

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/413551/2063269

** as a warm or cold accompaniment in a similar way to how rice is served
** as a dessert
** as the base ingredient for stuffing, instead of breadcrumbs - for chicken, capsicums, mushrooms... . .
** in soups
** I find that couscous (and also instant potato flakes) can be very useful as a thickener - but care is needed that not too much is used as a little couscous can make a very significant difference.

IMO the main thing to remember with couscous is that it is very bland (tasteless? ) without added fllavouring(s) so it blends welll (with minimal added flavouring) with any well-flavoured dishes but in most cases it needs to be well-flavoured with additions such as herbs, spices, lemon or orange zest and juice, etc.

Here's a link where there's some info' that you may find interesting and helpful:-

http://www.sanremo.com. au/products/product-range? cat=32

I have lots of recipes for using couscous (not all of them personally tried and tested) so if you have a particular flavour/use for your couscous please do ask and I'll most likely be able to help but here's a couple of recipes that we do really enjoy... . .

Jo Seagar's LEMON COUSCOUS
grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 cup well-flavoured chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 packed cup couscous
3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley or coriander
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
salt to taste (see note below)

Bring to the boil the chicken stock, olive oil and lemon juice. Remove from the heat and add the couscous. Stir briefly, then cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes for the couscous to absorb the liquid.
Toss with a fork then add and fork through the lemon zest, parsley or coriander, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon zest and salt to taste.
Serve warm or cold - (can be easily reheated in the microwave).
Serves 4–6.
Notes: Salt will probably not be necessary if instant stock powder has been used.

Robyn Martin's MOROCCAN COUSCOUS SALAD
1 cup each of couscous and boiling water
2 tsp chicken stock powder
¼ cup each of olive oil and white vinegar
1 each red and green capsicum
2 sticks celery
½ cup raisins
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder

Combine the water, stock powder, 2 tbsp olive oil and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add the couscous, stir it through and let it stand for 5 minutes, then fluff the couscous up with a fork. Set the couscous aside until it is just warm.
Deseed the capsicums & cut them into 0. 5cm (or pieces about the same size as the raisins). Wash and trim celery and slice it thinly.
In a screw-top jar mix together the coriander, cumin, chilli powder and remaining 2 tbsp oil. Shake to combine, then pour the dressing over the couscous and mix it through.
Add the capsicums, celery and raisins to the couscous, and mix well.
Serves 4.

For more couscous recipes and ideas you try the Search option here on this MB - enter the word 'couscous’ and 'Anytime' as the 'Date posted' option and you'll find all the available earlier threads re this same topic.

Hope that helps. :-))

and for even more info', ideas and recipes for couscous, have a look at:-

I add chicken stock to mine, and then I add fresh herbs, parsley, mint, coriander, basil (anything you like actually), also currants, finely diced red onion and finely diced tomato and red capsicum. It's great hot or cold.

i used to be so scared of couscous that i never ate it... despite having no idea what it tasted like. in the last 6 months i've absolutely embraced it. my boyfriend makes it with hot water, bit of olive oil and chilli flakes and lemon pepper. yum yum.

it's a great easy and quick meal, we had the ainsley harriott packets which are preflavoured and stirred cans of tuna in them while we were camping as all we needed was hot water.

I love couscous. One of my favourites is to roast veges in small 2cm sized cubes then when cooked sprinkle over a cup or 2 of couscous(just depends how many i'm feeding) thenpour over enough chicken stock that the couscous becomes moist. Then continue to bake in the oven for about 10-15mins. Serve with your roast meat. Yummy.

If you like the tinned flavoured tuna, try mixing that into some couscous. Cheap and quick and nom nom nom... . .

Agree with all above you definitely have to use stock to make up couscous, and add fresh herbs when mixing your veg into cous cous . When I roast my veggies I also add flavouringsMoroccan most of the time. It`s also great with a drizzle of tatziki, and wonderful topped with haloumi cheese