Couscous recipe needed please

[Jamrollypolly]

Does anyone have any tried and tested vegetarian couscous recipes? I've never made it before, but I'm making vege kebabs today from my slimming world recipe book and it says to serve it with couscous.

Can anyone help?

If you want plain couscous, I put some in a bowl, just cover with boiling water from the kettle, stir with a fork and cover with clingfilm. Apx 4 mins later is ready. Fluff with fork, and done.

You'll get roughly double what you put in the bowl. If I've made too much i sometimes have it with salad dressing for lunch the next day.

You can do other things with couscous but I haven't tried.

as pp but, you can add some fried onions, peas and/or sweetcorn once it is cooked. I usually add salt and pepper with the water- or a bit of vegetable stock powder ( not sure if that is vegetarian?) and either butter or a little olive oil mixed through it for a bit more flavour.

This Jamie Oliver recipe for couscous is really good and pretty simple to do. I used sundried tomato paste instead of tomato puree because I had it in and it worked well. Basically I find with couscous you need to add something flavoursome to it as it's a bit dull on its own, but if your kebabs are packed with flavour, that may not be an issue. It's like rice or potatoes or plain pasta - a nice comforting starchy background to stronger flavours and it fills you up.

Couscous and boiling water in equal amounts. Cover and leave for 5 mins. Fluff with fork and add knob of butter (or not). Steam in a steamer (optional, but much nicer)

You can add a sprinkle of veg stock, salt and pepper or cumin, then eat with chopped cucumber and mint, and onions if you like them.

Oh I love couscous. As others have said just cover with boiling water, I had half a veg oxo. Then once cooked I add in almost anything; spring onions, sweet own, cashew nuts, goats cheese, chilli, tomatoes, avocado, beetroot. Basically anything I've got in the fridge. It's a meal on its own especially with say goats cheese or halloumi.

It's lovely if you make it up with veg stock instead of plain boiled water. We add peppers, onions, mushrooms & sweetcorn as well.

Coriander & chopped mint stirred through with some curry powder is really nice as well. We add beef mince but you could use quorn mince for vegetarian option.

I do a lazy one...buy some chargrilled frozen veg or if you are not feeling lazy buy the individual fresh one....brown some onions, add some garlic, a pinch of paprika...add your veg, cook until soft. On the side, place 200g of couscous, put some olive oil in it, pour 200 ml of boiling water, add curry powder...cover and let it rest....once couscous is ready, mix. Then pour it on the veg, mix et voila....you can add feta cheese as well !

It's a great way of using up small amounts of left over veg, I make mine with vegetable stock rather than water.
A tasty combination to stir in after cooking, is crushed garlic, diced peeled cucumber and tomato and chopped olives,
or for an eastern twist currants (plump them up by soaking in tea or fruit juice) chopped apricots and dates.
You can stir in some herbs or spices with the stock, or a bit of tapenade.

Try it with chopped mint, red chilli, dried apricots and toasted pine nuts. A squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.
Make the cous cous with veg stock rather than water for a bit more flavour.

Couscous is better if contains a tiny bit of oil. I finely chop onions, peppers, courgettes, celery or whatever I have, saute in a little Olive oil. Measure out couscous in mug put in big bowl add saute veg and small handful dried fruiting you like then add mug full of boiling stock. Tightly cover bowl,I use a plate. Leave five mins then fluff with a fork. Seriously just go with what you fancy.

Thank you all. Some great suggestions which I'll definitely make soon. I've tried Allmimsy's Jamie Oliver recipe today and just added extra green and black olives, it tastes great especially with extra lemon juice. I'm surprised at how quick it is to make. As someone previously mentioned you do need to spice it up of it can be a little bland.

Stir through creme fraiche, add some cooked peas, black pepper, sea salt and lemon zest.

You know you lot made me have cous cous for tea?

But I had it with a grilled chicken breast topped with chilli jam & chorizo.

With giant couscous I toast it in a non stick pan until it goes lightly golden then cover in boiling water, cook for six mins then drain well. Then add my bits and bobs

This Yotam Ottolenghi recipe is delicious. Don't worry about having all the right herbs. Just use what you have. Although I think having coriander is a must.