Couscous salad: Morocco meets Mexico

BBQ season is upon us and what do we like more with a juicy steak or grilled vegetables? Salad...that is savoury and filling.

I am a massive fan of couscous and eat it as the carby basis for a saucy dish,
as an accompaniment for a rich casserole or tagine, or of course cold for lunch or in salad.

With some lovely spices and fresh vegetables, this turns into a salad that will impress even the most reluctant lettuce eaters and their loathing into love.

Serves 2-4; ready in 15min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup medium size plain couscous
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• dollop of butter
• 1 red and 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 tin of sweetcorn and/or kidney beans
• 1/2 cup of peas (fresh raw or frozen)
• handful of oily sun-dried tomatoes
• handful of rocket
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder OR hazelnut sized finely chopped piece of fresh chilli
• 1 tsp of cumin 
• pinch of dried oregano
• juice of half a lemon or lime 

Preparation: 

Boil water in the kettle. 

Fill a large mug with the couscous (to measure the amount) and pour into a large salad bowl. Then, pour the boiling water into the mug and add the stock cube, stir until it dissolves. Add the stock to the couscous.

Wait for 10 minutes until the couscous has been rehydrated and then add the dollop of butter. Use a forke to fluff up the couscous and let cool down. 

In the meantime, chop up the peppers, drain the sweetcorn and/or kidney beans and - if need be - the chilli. You may also add a couple of garlic cloves, finely chopped; as well as any other vegetable that may take your fancy; or feel free to add fruit such as apples or grapes, as long as they are not too juicy - this may make the couscous soggy and the salad too wet. 

Chop up the sun-dried tomatoes, prepare the rocket and take the peas out of the freezer or their pods, depending on what you're using. In a little cup, mix about 50ml of olive oil with the chilli powder (or fresh chilli), herbs and spices (salt, pepper, cumin and oregano) and lemon/lime juice. ! Do not salt too much, as the couscous will already be slightly seasoned from the stock! 

Chilli, organo and cumin are the spices most commonly used in Mexico, and are going to give the couscous and the vegetables an earthy and savoury taste that complements anything you may want to throw onto the BBQ.  

Add all the chopped up vegetables, peas and sun-dried tomatoes into the salad bowl and toss with the couscous to an evenly mixed salad. Add some peppery rocket leaves and the dressing mix with the oil and spices and mix carefully with a large spoon or your hands. 

Now it's ready to be served. Depending on your taste you can add fresh coriander leaves or mint or even add a spoon of greek yoghurt to the salad to give it freshness and enrich the consistency. 

If you like the recipe share it on Pinterest or if you have any further ideas, share them in the comments below!