The Devil's Couscous

I've been eating out a lot lately, and just as I was about to be overwhelmed by a burrito jones, I remembered the five minute miracle food residing on my countertop for the past dozen weeks. Couscous, whose virtues I've preached before on this page, was going to save my ever bleeding wallet once again. In this case, it was time for this little pasta to soak up the good juices of a seething Indian spiced hell broth.

















My couscous today is the pearl type, or Israeli, couscous. The grains are much larger and chewier than their Moroccan cousin, and they're often made with ground bulgur and wheat rather than pure semolina. In any case, they plump and soak up a lot of juice, and would make a perfect substitute for pasta side dishes in many meals. Here's one to blow your head off with the fury of chili peppers and a fusion of tropical spices. Tamarind extract is available in Indian grocers and many international aisles of supermarkets, and it lends a pleasant sour taste. I've upgraded my Indian spice arsenal to include asafoetida, which is used in some cultures that believe garlic and onions are non conducive to spiritual advancement. You of course can use garlic instead, just don't burn it.

Couscous en Fuego

2 T vegetable oil
1/2 tsp each of whole cumin, coriander, black mustard seed, turmeric
1/4 tsp each black peppercorns, fenugreek, asafoetida, cloves
1 star anise
2-4 whole dried chilies, broken
3 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1/2 tsp tamarind extract
2 c water
1 3/4 c Israeli couscous

Heat the oil up in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the spices except for the turmeric and and asafoetida to the oil and cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the turmeric and asafoetida and cook for 10 seconds before adding the onion. Stir the onion thoroughly with the spices and cook, stirring often, until it begins to brown. Add a little water if the onion is too dry or begins to burn.

Once the onion is browned, add the 2 c water and tamarind, and bring to a boil. Add the salt and finally the couscous, and bring the mixture to the boil once again. Remove from the burner, cover, and allow it to stand for 10 minutes to steam and allow the grains to absorb the liquid. Feast!