Recipe: Couscous with Apricots & Crispy Onions

Adapted from a BBC Food couscous recipe. Jazz up your grains with fried onions, mint and coriander, a touch of fruit and spices. The cook time is quick and low energy, and 500g of our couscous is just £1.50 so this is a very budget friendly meal or side dish. Serves 6.

Ingredients: (items marked * can be bought from us)

• 500g couscous*
• 1 tsp vegetable stock powder/bouillon*
• 2 tsp turmeric*
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon*
• 100g chopped dried apricots*
• 3 red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp caster sugar*
• about 500ml vegetable oil
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil*
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander*, or a small bunch of fresh chopped
• small handful chopped mint, with a few leaves reserved

Method:

1. Boil a kettle. Tip the couscous into a large bowl, sprinkle in the stock powder, then add the turmeric, cinnamon, coriander (if ground) and apricots, and season well. Pour over 500ml boiling water, give everything a quick stir, then cover with a wax wrap or plate and leave for 5 minutes.

2 . 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 soak for 10 mins. (This will remove some of the onions’ acidity and turn them a beautiful bright pink colour)

3. 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 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain slightly and sprinkle with salt.

4. 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.

We hope you loved this couscous recipe- there will be more to come!