What to do with cous cous?

[Ceeps]

Hi. This is the first time I have used the forum although I have been a member for some time . I have just 'found' Cous Cous. But what can I do with it? Do you have it with a sauce (like pasta) or not? Can anyone give me some ideas. I have looked on the receipe thread and I will def be making the quiche - it sounds great.

 

[rosinakathleen]

For me, the best thing is to leave it on the shop shelf! I think it's horrible!
But someone will come along who eat it and hopefully give you a few pointers
PS welcome!

 

[Rachella]

I love it!

This is what I do - cook veg like courgettes, red onions, peppers, tomatoes, spring onions, mushrooms etc (anything you like really) in a frying pan with frylight - then when it's all cooked off and looking nice add a splurge of balsamic vinegar (gives it a lovely taste) and whizz round in the pan for a couple of minutes - then put all this veg mixture in the bowl with your already made couscous (which takes about 5 minutes to make). I like to add a tin of mixed pulses as well (kidney beans etc).... it is a VERY filling meal and I eat it cold usually :0

Sometimes I might put some olive oil over it too (synning it though or using it as a HEXB)

Personally I wouldnt put a sauce on it - it would make the texture a bit odd I think.

Only downside - gives me terrible wind, not sure though if that's the couscous or the pulses!

 

[cocktailprincess]

I think it can be very bland unless you either put tasty things in it or have it with tasty things (just like pasta really)

I make a lovely chicken tagine: Cook onion and garlic in fry-light, add chicken (I use de-skinned thighs), carrots, tumeric, seasoning, enough stock to cover and a tin of chick peas. Leave to simmer for about an hour on low heat.

Put some cumin, salt and chicken bovril in a bowl, add cous cous and cover with boiling water. I chop some fresh coriander and mix it in once it has swelled nicely.

Serve the cous cous with tagine on side- free on EE and very tasty

xx

 

[The Maid]

Ainsley Harriott range of Cous Cous

Try the Ainsley Harriott range of cous cous. They are very low in syns e.g 0.5 or 1 per portion (when I joined SW the curried one was free in the Directory but now it's 0.5?!) and very tasty and filling. I had some with chopped vegetables and sliced turkey today for lunch. Then took my daughter swimming and I am not even hungry now. I have made plain cous cous and added frylight fried mushrooms and sliced chicken and salad veggies. I think a drizzle of balsamic vinegar would go well too. Experiment and enjoy.

 

[*** Di ***]

I love cous cous!!

The cous cous cakes for starters - made with mincemeat!

Savoury cous cous - made with salad veg - and whatever you want to chuck in.

Sweet cous cous made with chopped fruit - and I syn some sunflower seeds and orange juice.

Don't drown the cous cous with fluid - just enough to barely cover it - and it doesn't need cooking as some packets suggest - the hot water cooks is (although when I do the sweet cous cous and use orange juice that is cold and I allow the fluid to soak in and its fine!)

Use plenty of seasoning / spices depending whether its sweet or savoury

 

[BikerAngel]

I love to use couscous in my salad instead of rice or pasta and add chopped cucumber, cherry toms, spring onion, peppers and sweetcorn to it but I always use seasoning and have the tesco lemon or the tomato one which is just a mix of herbs and spices so not sure of syns if any. You could use some bovril to flavour it too as I used stock cubes before. When you add water to it make sure you just cover it then put something over it to hold in the steam to let it absorb the water then fluff up with a fork and use hot or cold. I have it instead or rice or pasta with things too.

 

[Frontier-Phil]

Cous Cous Cakes mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Phil x

 

[metrognome]

they were on about the couscous cake at my meeting on thursday and how it had to be syned and was not free becausee using the couscous as a flour substitute.
karen

 

[Frontier-Phil]

I count it has 1.5 per slice.... really worth it

Phil x

 

[metrognome]

is it really that nice?? may have to try it, only just started using the stuff never tried it before


karen

 

[albeckmum69]

My hubby would say dont go there, but I love it, much the same as has been listed already, bland unless other items added but a great Green Freebie!!!

 

[Ceeps]

OMG - thank you all sooooo much for all your ideas. Posted my question yesterday then got called away and this is the first change to get back on. I had the Ainsley Harriot spice sensation yesterday with samll amount of chicken and a salad. It was very good. I will have to have a go at some of the things mentioned. As for the cous cous cake - I can see that be a favourite even before I've tried it!!!

 

[jaylou]

As said above, cous cous needs things adding to it else it tastes of nothing!

Add some spices and a cardamon pod or two while it swells up in the water, then add roasted veg and meat or prawns and enjoy.

You can also do a sweet version, add some star anise, lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract to the cous cous and add boiling water. Leave it to infuse, remove the star anise and enjoy!! No syns (unlike the cakes!)

 

[Ceeps]

Lemon cous cous - i love lemon. That's it. Stopping at shop on the way to club tonight and getting ingreds.