It's a forty minute drive to the closest Whole Foods from where I am living. Not really a long drive, but I reside in a state where any drive longer than an hour is considered one that requires you to pack a lunch before heading out on the road. Distance, I have learned, is all relative. Recently I had a taste for the Israeli Couscous salad from Whole Foods but with my schedule I wasn't sure I could justify making the ninety minute round trip and a lunch to satisfy a food craving. With or without a lunch, a ninety minute drive to buy a new pair of shoes is a different story.
To satisfy a food craving, I wondered what the outcome would be if I substituted Israeli couscous for the regular couscous in my version of Ina's Curried Couscous recipe. The result was actually better than I was expecting it to be. Not only was it better than the recipe I had been making over the years, it was even better than the Whole Foods Couscous Salad I would sometimes drive out of my way to buy. It actually turned out to be so delicious, I think it is now going to be my new go to spring, summer, fall salad. Even better, when I get an Israeli Couscous salad craving I no longer have to make a ninety minute drive. Now I just have to pick up a few ingredients at the local grocery store. In less thirty minutes of cooking and preparation time the Curried Israeli Couscous Salad is made.
This salad not only tastes terrific but it is beautiful and healthy for you too! It's the trifecta of salad recipes, a win-win-win kind of food. It's the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish and even beef. More importantly, it is a great alternative to the usual suspect salads served at a summer barbecue, potluck, or a dinner at home. And because it travels well, it is also a great salad to bring to the beach.
Regular plain couscous is made up of tiny little granules while the Israeli couscous is comprised of pearl shaped little balls of goodness. When making the Israeli couscous for this recipe I did not follow the directions on the package. I used a ratio of 2 cups of water to 1 cup of the Israeli couscous and had great results. After I brought the water to a boil I added the couscous, covered the pan, reduced the heat to a very low temperature and cooked for about 12 minutes. Halfway through the cooking process I moved the pan partially off the burner. When the couscous was just done, I removed it from the stove, placed it in a strainer and then transferred it to a large bowl.
The base of the dressing is plain Greek yogurt, wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Ina's original recipe called for white wine vinegar but when I looked in the cabinet I realized I didn't have any, so I substituted champagne wine vinegar. I think I like the subtleness of the champagne vinegar slightly better and think I will not go back to white wine vinegar. Unless of course I don't have any champagne wine vinegar.
After measuring the yogurt, olive oil and vinegar, all of the spices are added and mixed together with a whisk until well blended. The curry and turmeric are not only flavorful spices, they will give the salad a beautiful yellow finish.
There are two kinds of onions in this salad: green and red. I prefer cutting my green onions on a slight diagonal. And of course, the red onions need to be minced.
The original recipe called for cutting the carrots into a small dice, but I like the look and texture of shredded carrots. Because two carrots will yield a half a cup, I use a hand grater rather than a food processor. Sometimes the less equipment I need to take out to make a recipe the better.
I consider curly parsley an herb used more as a garnish, while I think the flat Italian parsley delivers a more flavorful, less bitter taste and finish when cooking. Now having said this, I am probably going to eat my words in the weeks and months ahead.
Once all of the vegetables are chopped, minced and shredded they are added to the couscous mixture and stirred in.
I prefer using dried cranberries in this salad, but you could use raisins or currants. The cranberries add great color to the salad, they add just the right about of sweetness. But if I was using raisins, I would use the white ones. Blanched sliced almonds were added to this salad, but I think maybe the next time I make it I will use chopped pistachios. Both of these nuts work well with the couscous and the spices. This is one salad where your palate has a perfect savory and sweet experience.
Recipe
Curried Israeli Couscous Salad (inspired by Ina Garten's Curried Couscous Salad)
Ingredients
2 cups Israeli Couscous
4 cups boiling water
1/4 cup plus 2 T. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup minced fresh flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup dried cranberries (substitutions: raisins or currants)
1/4 cup blanched sliced almonds
2 green onions, sliced using both white and green parts
1/4 cup small diced red onion (about a half of a small red onion)
Directions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add couscous and reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer for 10-14 minutes or until couscous is just tender. I pulled pan halfway off the heat. Drain in colander and place in large bowl.
2. Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, pepper. Pour over the warm couscous and mix well.
3. Add carrots, parsley, cranberries, almonds, green onions and red onions. Mix well.
4. Serve at room temperature.
Last weekend was a fun, busy and hectic. With the exception of making some desserts for the Easter gatherings I was going to, I didn't have time to do too very much cooking. The weather was perfect for a walk on the Cliff Walk in Newport as well as for a day long excursion to Maine for some sightseeing, antiquing and a lobster roll lunch. Not only were the skies glorious shades of blue, the cloud formations were mesmerizing.
It's amazing how energizing being outside and feeling the warmth of the sun can be so good for one's soul, one's spirit. Beyond being energized, I managed to also be motivated and inspired to experiment with a favorite recipe. If the making of the Curried Israeli Couscous Salad is any indication of what deliciousness can happen when I spend time outside, I can hardly wait to see where my cooking goes in the weeks and months ahead as the weather warms and sunny blue skies return.
