Moroccan Chickpea Chicken Soup

          This is an incredibly simple, comforting and a wholesome soup - Moroccan style, that can be dished out for a light hearty meal. It is very filling and you just don't need anything else. However, you may pair it with some croutons or breadsticks. Rice may be substituted by couscous if you wish. Chicken too can be replaced with boneless mutton  beef or pork if preferred. This piping hot soup is just perfect for a wintry night.

• 1 cup chickpea (Kabuli Chana), soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup boneless chicken
• 2-3 tbsp. rice, soaked for an hour
• 3-4 tomatoes, pureed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. paprika (I used Kashmiri red chili)
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. five spice powder (I used garam masala powder)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish
• 1 tbsp. olive oil to drizzle (opt)

          Pressure cook the chickpeas in 2 cups water for 5-6 whistles. Add the rice and chicken and further cook for 2 whistles. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the onion, ginger and garlic till they turn translucent. Add all the dry spices and stir fry for a few seconds.

           Add the tomato puree and tomato paste. Simmer, covered for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Now add the cooked chickpea and lemon rind and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the flame.

          Drizzle some olive oil and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve in individual bowls for a hearty and a satisfying light meal. 

Note - This versatile soup can also be done on an open large stockpot if preferred. 

Eggplant Couscous Delight

             Couscous which is a very common dish in the Mediterranean region is often served with vegetable or meat gravy. It is also served as a salad along with veggies or any lean meat. Here in this recipe, I combined couscous with eggplant stir fry to make this delicious salad. The beauty lies in presenting your creation. So I layered the eggplant and couscous and then topped it up with some feta cheese.

          Alternatively, it can be baked till the cheese melts. So try this Eggplant Couscous Delight and surprise your family and friends. Light on the stomach, healthy and nutritious too, this exotic preparation can be enjoyed any time of the day as it is or along with some soup.  

• 4-5 long eggplants, cubed
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder (opt)
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves
• 2-3 tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled

          Add 3/4 cup water and a pinch of salt to the couscous. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork.

          Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with the mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, followed by the eggplants, onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and all the dry spices.

          Sauté on a low flame till they turn soft. Sprinkle water at intervals. When done, add the coriander leaves and keep aside.

          To assemble - layer the serving dish with half of the cooked eggplants, then add half of the couscous, followed again by the remaining eggplant. The last layer should be that of the remaining couscous. 

          Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese. Heat through in the microwave and serve as a salad. Alternatively, it can be baked till the cheese melts.

Couscous & French Beans Salad with Chickpeas & Cucumber

          This is a very healthy salad with the goodness of couscous, French beans, black chickpeas and cucumber. A great light meal for any weight watchers. I added some feta cheese to add a punch to the salad.

           I also gave a tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilies and asafoetida, which was later poured over the prepared salad at the time of serving. It gives a complete new dimension to any ordinary salad. Just try it and you will not be disappointed.

• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup black chickpeas, boiled
• 1 cup French beans, finely chopped & boiled al dente
• 1 small cucumber, chopped into small pieces
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 2 fresh red chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. feta cheese, crumbled

          Add 3/4 cup water to the couscous and keep it covered for 10 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork. In a bowl, combine couscous, beans, chickpeas, cucumber, salt and pepper.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the red chilly and mustard seeds. Allow it to crackle. Switch off the flame.

          Pour this tempering on the prepared salad and top it up with the fresh red chilies and crumbled feta cheese. Serve immediately for a light dinner / lunch.

Spicy Couscous Salad with Indian Tadka

          Couscous as a salad is very commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Here I combined it with some assorted Bell Peppers and gave it an Indian tempering for an entirely different flavor. This healthy, nutritious and fat free salad serves as a complete balanced meal in itself as it is very filling. So it is very good for the elderly people as it contains a good dose of vitamins, calcium, riboflavin, etc. 

          I gave a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal (split black gram), curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida. So there is a crunch to every bite of this yummy salad. You can run your imaginations run wild and add any other veggies you fancy. Some cashews, almonds or peanuts can also be a welcome addition. So enjoy this spicy salad with a dash of lime.

• 1/2 cup Couscous
• 1 cup assorted Bell Peppers, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• coriander leaves to garnish (opt)

          Add 3/4 cup hot water to the couscous. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork.

          In a bowl, add the couscous, sliced bell peppers, salt, pepper powder, red chili flakes and lemon juice. Mix well.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves. Saute till the dal changes color.

          Pour this tempering on the prepared couscous salad. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

                                 Take 1/2 cup couscous.

                   Add 3/4 cup hot water. Cover & keep aside for 10 mins. Fluff it with a fork.

                       Mix with all ingredients & pour the tempering over it. Salad is ready.

Tabbouleh (Lebanese Salad)

       
          This is a traditional Lebanese salad which is very nutritious and healthy. It has the goodness of greens in the form of parsley and mint. The addition of tomatoes and onion makes it even more appetizing. Salt, pepper, lemon juice and the surprise element - Zaatar balances the taste and flavour of this salad. Couscous can also be substituted for bulgur wheat, quinoa or chickpeas.

• 1 big bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch mint leaves, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. zaatar spice powder (opt)

          In a bowl add the couscous and pour 1/2 cup hot water. Cover and let it stand for 15-20 minutes. Later fluff it with a fork.

          Mix together the parsley, mint, couscous, onion and tomato in a bowl. Just before serving, add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss well. 

          Sprinkle some za'atar over it and serve with some Arabic bread.

   

Couscous & Bell Pepper Salad with Cucumber & Lettuce

       
            A simple and an easy salad of couscous, which is very much used in Mediterranean cuisine. I added some fried chana dal to give a crunchy effect to the salad. The mustard sauce also adds a zing to the end product. A light dinner to be relished to keep you satiated.

• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 cup assorted Bell peppers, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 4-5 lettuce leaves, shredded
• 2 tbsp. fried chana dal (Bengal gram lentil)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. mustard sauce

          Add 1/2 cup hot water to the couscous and cover it. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork and combine with bell peppers, cucumber, lettuce and the fried chana dal.

          Before serving, add the salt, pepper powder, olive oil and lemon juice and toss well. Serve, garnished with mustard sauce.

Chickpeas & Couscous Salad

       
           Couscous, as a salad is very popular in Middle Eastern Cuisine. Here I combined it with kabuli chana (white chickpeas) to make a healthy and a delicious salad. It is very nutritious and wholesome and can be had as a light meal.

• 1/2 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup couscous
• 1 fresh red / green chilli, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• pepper powder to taste
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lime juice

          Add 1/2 cup hot water to the couscous and keep aside, covered for 10 minutes. Then fluff it up with a fork and keep aside.

          Pressure cook the soaked kabuli chana for 5-6 whistles. Drain and keep aside. In a bowl, combine together the chana and the couscous.

          Just before serving, add the salt, pepper, olive oil and the lime juice. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves and green chilies. Fresh red chilies can be substituted for a colour contrast.

Couscous Soup

       
          Couscous is a very common ingredient found in Mediterranean salads. I decided to try out a soup out of it. So here is a healthy one-pot meal of couscous soup which is full of flavour and is a wholesome treat.

           I prepared it in a curried form along with some coriander and mint leaves. The addition of stock gives a very unique taste. You can also use some maggi soup cubes. This nutritious soup when had with a dash of lime gives an extra zing to it.

• 1/2 cup couscous
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• handful of mint leaves, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper powder to taste
• 4 cups stock / water
• lime juice to taste

          Add 1/2 cup hot water to the couscous and let it stand covered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and saute the onion, garlic and ginger till light brown in colour.

          Add the couscous, 4 cups stock, salt, pepper powder, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

          When cool, blend it to a puree. Just before serving, heat through and serve with a dash of lime.

Rajma & Couscous Salad (Kidney Beans & Bulgur Wheat Salad)

          It is a very healthy and a nutritious salad as couscous is actually a kind of wheat commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. It is very easily available in supermarkets these days. Rajma too has a lot of health benefits as it contains fibre, vitamins and iron. So the combination of both rajma and couscous provides a balanced and a wholesome one-dish meal.
          

• 1/2 cup rajma (red kidney beans), soaked overnight
• 1/4 - 1/2  cup couscous (broken wheat granules)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt tot taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the rajma with enough water for 15 minutes on low flame after the first whistle. Drain when cool and keep aside.

          Pour equal quantity of hot water to the couscous and cover for 10 minutes. After it has cooled down, add with the onions, tomatoes and green chilies and set aside.

          Just before serving, add the salt, pepper powder, lemon juice, olive oil and coriander leaves and toss well.

Keema & Couscous Paratha (Chicken Mince & Couscous Flat Bread)

          
          Any leftover keema (mutton / chicken mince) can be used to prepare these delicious parathas. I also added some couscous to it. They are very filling and wholesome for a perfect no-fuss meal. You can try having it with some butter, raita or pickle. It simply tastes awesome. 

• 100 gms. chicken mince
• 1/4 cup couscous, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water for 15 minutes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1 tbsp. oil to knead
• oil to shallow fry

       
           Knead the atta, 1 tbsp. oil and enough water to make a dough. keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Then add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder mixed with little water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the mince and salt and fry till dry. Add 1 cup water and cook, covered on a low flame till done and till all the moisture dries up.

        When cool, mix with the couscous and salt to taste. Keep aside. Divide the dough and the keema-couscous filling into equal portions.

          Roll out one portion of the dough into a small circle. Place a portion of the filling and bring all the edges together and close. 

          Roll into a circle with the help of some atta and keep aside. Roll the rest of the dough in the similar manner with the filling.

          Heat the tawa / griddle and fry the parathas with the help of some oil on both sides till light brown. Serve with some yoghurt or pickle.

Couscous & Capsicum Salad

       
         
           Couscous & Capsicum Salad is quite an easy and a quick salad that can be made into a jiffy. Very filling and nutritious, it can be relished by all. You can stuff into parathas or roll up for a quick lunch. As it is made of wheat, it is very healthy and can be substituted for white rice. Other ingredients like boiled and shredded chicken, cucumber, corn, grated carrots, etc. can also be added.

• 1/4 cup couscous
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fried chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• salt to taste
• pinch of pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. olive oil   
• 1 tsp. lime juice 

          Soak the couscous, covered in 1/4 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork. Keep aside. Mix the yoghurt with olive oil, salt, lime juice and pepper powder. Keep aside.

          Mix the couscous with capsicum, fried chana dal, mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chilies. 

           Just before serving, pour the dressing over it and toss well. Serve along with some soup for a light dinner.