Its been a few months now I have been maintaining the regime to eat healthy and exercise daily. Luckily I have been able to shed a few kilos (Happy Dance!!) but a few kilos are still to go. I have been eating everything but in control and avoiding sugar and fried food as much as I can. I made Couscous Salad with Chickpeas some time back and it is a regular at my place.
I wanted to try the couscous pilaf which tasted flavourful with some spices and vegetables. All I can say it was amazing, filling and gets ready in minutes. If you are hungry and looking for quick dinner options, dont think twice make this healthy pulao which looks gorgeous and tastes divine. Its a good option when you want to avoid hi starch rice pulav.
Directions:
1. Chop Onions and Garlic Finely. Also chop Red and Yellow Bell Pepper in strips lengthwise. You can even add mushrooms, I did not have on hand. Set aside.
2. In a sauce pan add water and bring it to a boil. Turn the flame off.
3. Add Couscous to the boiled boiled and top it with ghee or clarified butter*. Cover and let it sit for 5-7 minutes or till the couscous gets cooked. Fluff it up with a fork and set aside.
4. In a pan add oil and heat it.
5. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle for a couple of seconds. Also add whole red chilies.
6. Add garlic and saute. Also add onions and saute till it turns soft and translucent.
7. Add bell peppers and mushrooms if you are using. Saute them till they become cooked but still crisp.
8. Add turmeric Powder and salt. Combine.
9. Add cooked and fluffed couscous to the veggies and combine. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with some Aloo Anaar Raita or plain yogurt.
Other Pulav or Pulao or Pilaf recipes you can try are: Mint Pulav, Mango Rice, Curd Rice, Kathal Ki Biryani, Veggie Vermicelli Pulao.
If you are looking for other healthy recipes you can try, Couscous salad with Chickpeas, Mango Black bean Salad, Grilled Chicken Salad, Healthy Broccoli Pasta.
[whohit]CouscousPilaf[/whohit]
- 1 Cup Couscous, I used quick cook couscous
- 1 and 1/4 Cup Water
- 1 tsp Butter or Ghee or Oil for couscous + 1tsp ghee or oil for pilaf
- 1 large Onion
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- Sliced Mushrooms, handful
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 Whole Red Dry Chilies
- Fresh Coriander Leaves, handful
- Chop Onions and Garlic Finely. Also chop Red and Yellow Bell Pepper in strips lengthwise. You can even add mushrooms, I did not have on hand. Set aside.
- In a sauce pan add water and bring it to a boil. Turn the flame off.
- Add Couscous to the boiled boiled and top it with ghee or clarified butter. Cover and let it sit for 5-7 minutes or till the couscous gets cooked. Fluff it up with a fork and set aside.
- In a pan add oil and heat it.
- Add cumin seeds and let them crackle for a couple of seconds. Also add whole red chilies.
- Add garlic and saute. Also add onions and saute till it turns soft and translucent.
- Add bell peppers and mushrooms if you are using. Saute them till they become cooked but still crisp.
- Add turmeric Powder and salt. Combine.
- Add cooked and fluffed couscous to the veggies and combine. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with some Aloo Anaar Raita or plain yogurt.
- You can add corn kernels or any other vegetable of your choice.
- *Vegans can use coconut oil or any other cooking oil instead of ghee or butter.