Spicy Couscous Recipe

Couscous is a quick and simple dish, so naturally I love it. It makes a great pairing with fish and both can be whipped up lickety-split. I usually start with plain couscous and spice it up myself—give it a try—it’s eezey-peezey and vastly yummier than any overpriced couscous mix you’ll find at the market. Check out the recipe below, and for more video recipes visit the Chef Buck Playlist at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2EFBD7E8FE2BB552

ingredients:

1 cup COUSCOUS
2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
1 medium ONION (chopped)
3 cloves GARLIC (finely chopped)
1 HOT PEPPER (finely chopped)
1 tsp MUSTARD SEEDS
1 tsp CHILI POWDER
1 tsp PAPRIKA
½ tsp TURMERIC POWDER
1 tsp TOMATO PASTE
1 ½ cup WATER (or broth)
SALT (to taste)

directions:
Heat olive oil on medium high heat and then add onions. Stir for 1 minute and add mustard seeds, hot pepper, and garlic. Continue sautéing for a couple more minutes. Stir in chili powder, paprika, and turmeric. Add salt and tomato paste and mix well. Pour in 1 ½ cups of water, stir, cover pot and turn up the heat and bring the pot to a boil. After ingredients come to a boil, stir in the couscous and mix well. Cover and remove from heat and allow pot to sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the couscous will have completely absorbed all the water. Uncover and immediately fluff with a fork—this will keep the couscous for overcooking and becoming a sticky, starchy mess; couscous should be light and fluffy, and in this case, nice and spicy, too.

Bon appétit!