Flavorful Turkish Couscous Salad by Kerryann Dunlop
#couscous#salad#herbs#Jamie Oliver#chickpeas
A vibrant Turkish-inspired couscous salad bursting with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and smoky spices. Perfect as a light meal on its own or served alongside grilled meats, finished with a zesty lemon dressing and drizzled with olive oil.
Place 250 grams of plain couscous in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, a teaspoon of ground cumin, and a teaspoon of smoked paprika. Mix everything together.
Pour boiling water over the couscous just enough to cover it completely. Cover the bowl with cling film and let it sit so the couscous absorbs the water and softens.
Finely chop one medium red onion, leaving the root end intact to keep it together.
Finely dice a medium cucumber into small pieces.
Slice two medium ripe tomatoes into about half-centimeter thick pieces, then combine them with the cucumber and onion.
Add chopped chili pepper to taste, optionally removing seeds for less heat.
Chop half a bunch each of coriander and flat-leaf parsley along with a few mint leaves. Use a rocking motion to finely mince the herbs together with a knife.
Fluff the couscous with a fork, then stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste, mixing well to evenly coat the grains with color.
Add the chopped vegetables and chili to the couscous and mix thoroughly.
Fold in the chopped herbs to distribute them evenly throughout the salad.