Best Middle Eastern Couscous Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the raisins, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the couscous to the saucepan, along with the 2 cups of boiling water and the salt. Stir once with a fork, cover tightly, and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir with a fork before serving to fluff the couscous and combine the other ingredients. (This recipe can be made up to a day ahead and reheated over very low heat or in a microwave oven.)

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN POT AND BUTTER-NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples add the chicken and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Stir the fruits into the chicken and vegetables, add the zest of the lemon, olives and 2 1/2 cups of stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
• While chicken simmers, melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add nuts and lightly toast for a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve chicken over couscous, or vice versa, and garnish with parsley.

MIDDLE EASTERN SNAPPER WITH COUSCOUS SALAD

Steps:

• Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Bring 1 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan; pour over the couscous, cover and let stand until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grate the zest of 1 lemon, juice 1 1/2 lemons and cut the remaining 1/2 lemon into 4 wedges. Fluff the couscous and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, shallot and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate while the fish cooks.
• Mix the za'atar, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub onto the flesh side of the fish. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 fish fillets skin-side down, pressing gently to prevent them from curling. Cook until the edges turn opaque, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and cook until just opaque throughout, about 2 minutes; remove to plates. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and repeat with the remaining 2 fish fillets.
• Top the fish with parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the couscous salad and lemon wedges.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS SALAD

Steps:

• Soak the couscous in 9 fluid ounces cold water.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C Cut the eggplant into 1/4" slices, cut these in 2 lengthways then cut all across in 1/4" slices (you should end up with short'chip'-shaped pieces).
• Toss in 3 tablespoons of the oil, 2 teaspoons of the cumin and a little seasoning then roast in the oven for 15- 20 mintes, until softened.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: zest the lemon, adding the zest to the couscous then juice and add about 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Allow to dissolve, then add the garlic plus the remaining cumin and olive oil.
• Whisk thoroughly and add to the couscous- this will be partially absorbed.
• When the eggplant is cooked, allow to cool a little then stir into the couscous, along with the olives, coriander and pine nuts.
• Toss well and serve immediately.

MIDDLE EASTERN TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Sauté 3/4 cup onion until tender.
• Bring broth to a boil in small saucepan over high heat, stir in couscous and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in onion and spinach. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine turkey, egg substitute, remaining 1/4 cup onion, steak sauce, cinnamon, cumin, remaining salt and black pepper in medium bowl. Mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls (makes approximately 24).
• Spray skillet with cooking spray. Over medium high heat, add meatballs and cook until no longer pink, roughly 7 minutes.
• Add water and tomato paste to skillet, whisk until blended. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Add meatballs. Cook until meatballs are hot.
• Serve meatballs and sauce over couscous mixture.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
• Combine chicken, pumpkin, spice and oil and place on a baking tray.
• Bake for around 20-25 minutes.
• Cool slightly and slice the chicken into strips.
• In a large serving bowl combine the coriander, lemon juice and rind, feta cheese, and couscous; mix well.
• Finally fold through the pumpkin and the chicken pieces.
• Serve garnished with lemon slices and coriander.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS WITH HONEYED CARAMELIZED ONIONS, RAISINS

Steps:

• FOR THE MEAT: Prepare the meaty stew or soup. In a large pan, put the meat and about 1/2 pound onions, coarsely chopped, and cover with about 1 1/2 quarts water. Bring to the boil and remove the scum. Add salt, pepper, the ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the cloves and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add the saffron and more water to keep the meat well covered (there should be a lot of broth) and simmer for 1/2 hour more. The meat should be so tender you could pull it apart with your hands.
• FOR THE TFAYA: For the honeyed onion tfaya, cut the onions in half and slice them. Put them in a pan with about 1 cup water. Put the lid on and cook, covered, over low heat (they will steam) for about 1/2 hour, until the onions are very soft. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the butter and oil and cook until the onions are golden. Stir in the honey and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, the drained raisins, and a pinch of salt and cook 10 minutes more, or until the onions caramelize and become brown.
• Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan or fry them in a drop of oil until golden, turning them over. Coarsely chop about half of them.
• FOR THE COUSCOUS: Put the couscous in a wide oven proof dish so that the grains are not squashed on top of each other. (I use a large round clay dish, in which I also serve). Gradually add the warm salted water, stirring all the time so that it is absorbed evenly. Keep fluffing up the grain with a fork and breaking up any lumps (as the grains stick together). After about 10-15 minutes, when the grain is plump and tender, mix in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and rub the grain between your hands above the bowl, to air it and break up any lumps.
• Put the dish, uncovered, in a preheated 400°F oven and heat through for 15 to 20 minutes, until very hot. After about 10 minutes, fluff it up again with a fork. Before serving, work in 3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil and break up any lumps very thoroughly.
• TO SERVE: Make a mound of couscous and make a hollow in the center. Moisten with a ladle of the meat broth. Put the meat in the hollow and cover with the onion and raisin tfaya.
• Sprinkle with a mixture of chopped and whole toasted or fried blanched almonds, and serve the broth separately. Alternatively, you might prefer to serve everything separately, or straight into soup plates. Serves 6.
• The New Book Of Middle Eastern Food Claudia Roden.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN POT AND BUTTER-NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high heat and add chicken. Brown 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain leaving a small amount of oil in pan.
• Add onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper to pan. Cook 5-6 minutes.
• Stir in fruits, add lemon zest, olives and 2 1/2 c stock.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay leaf.
• While chicken simmers, melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
• Add nuts and lightly toast for a few minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 c stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. Stir and cover. Let stand 5 minute.
• Serve chicken over couscous and garnish with parsley.
• This rocks!

DEE'S MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS SALAD

Steps:

• heat Port; add figs, simmer 10 minutes heat butter, add onion, and garlic and cook til browned. Add spices, cook 1 more minute. heat chicken stock; add couscous and boil until all stock has been absorbed. Add onion mixture, peppers, reserved figs and liquid to couscous and stir together. let couscous simmer until cooked through. Adjust seasonings with sea salt and pepper and fold in the three herbs. Garnish with toasted pistachios.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN WITH MOGHRABIEH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Using spray oil or the olive oil, coat a heavy based casserole dish or pot and place on cook top.
• When the oil is hot, add the chick drumsticks and cook for about 5 mins so that the chicken is turning a golden brown.
• Add the onion, and continue cooking unitl the onion is translucent - about 5 minutes If either onion or chicken starts to burn, reduce the heat.
• Add the fennel seeds, cumin and corriander and cook another minute.
• Add the chicken stock and increase the heta if needed, so that the stock reaches boiling point, then turn down and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, add the Moghrabieh to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes or until the Moghrabieh is cooked but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
• After 30 minutes, add the tomato to the chicken and cook a further 15 minutes. If needed increase the cooking time if the chicken is not yet 'falling off the bone'.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and remove chicken from the bone.
• If the mixture is too watery at this stage, turn up the heat so that the remaining liquid reduces and thickens.
• Return the chicken to the sauce once the right consistency has been achieved.
• To serve, add the Moghrabieh to bowls and top with the chicken mixture.

MIDDLE EASTERN SWEET COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 315°F Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake about 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Allow to cool, then coarse chop.
• Place in a bowl with the chopped apricots and toss to combine.
• Place the couscous and sugar in a bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water. Stir well then add the butter and a pinch of salt. Stir until the butter melts, then cover with a dish towel and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork, then add the nuts & apricots, toss gently.
• The couscous can be served just like this, on a platter with the meat, or in a bowl. Some prefer it served in small bowls, sprinkled with the cinnamon and a little hot milk. This way it can be a dessert or a breakfast dish, much like we enjoy cream of wheat.

MIDDLE EASTERN COUSCOUS RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• 1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the couscous, cranberries, olives and feta cheese. 2. Bring to a boil in a large teflon pan with a lid. 3. Turn off the heat. 4. Stir in the couscous and cover. 5. Let sit for 5 minutes. 6. Fluff with a rubber scraper and sir in the cranberries, olives and feta. 7. Serve hot or at room temperature.