GOLDEN COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS & CRISPY ONIONS

Golden couscous with apricots & crispy onions image

Jazz up your grains with fried onions, mint and coriander, a touch of fruit and spices

Provided by Cassie Best

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

500g couscous
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g dried apricot , chopped
3 red onions , thinly sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
about 500ml vegetable or sunflower oil
zest and juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
small bunch coriander , chopped
small handful mint , chopped, a few leaves reserved

Steps:

Boil a kettle. Tip the couscous into a large bowl, crumble in the stock cube, then add the turmeric, cinnamon and apricots, and season well. Pour over 500ml boiling water, give everything a quick stir, then cover with cling film and leave for 5 mins.
Put half the sliced onions in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and the sugar, pour over enough boiling water to cover and leave to steep for 10 mins. (This will remove some of the onions' acidity and turn them a beautiful bright pink colour.)
Heat enough oil to come about 5cm up the side of a deep saucepan. Once hot, fry the remaining onions in batches for 1-2 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
Use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Drain the steeped onions and stir through the couscous with the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and herbs. Tip onto a serving platter or bowl and scatter with the crispy onions and mint leaves.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 403 calories, Fat 8 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 67 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 11 grams sugar, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 12 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium