Time for Barefoot Bloggers! Thank you to Ellyn of Recipe Collector and Tester, who picked Ina's Curried Couscous as our first recipe for the month of June. I love couscous and couldn't wait to try this recipe. I decided to make some tofu veggie kabobs to go with the couscous, couscous and kabobs, what a perfect pair! I did make a few changes, noted next to the recipe, this is such an easy recipe to personalize with what you have on hand or to personal tastes.
Curried Couscous
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter -- skipped the butter
1 1/2 cups boiling water -- used vegetable broth
1/4 cup plain yogurt -- used sour cream
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt -- cut down to 1/2 tsp because of the broth
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper -- skipped
1/2 cup small-diced carrots
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley -- forgot :(
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds -- used 1/3 cup pistachios instead of almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts) -- left out
1/4 cup small-diced red onion -- left out
Place the couscous in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. (I actually added my mix-ins before the dressing...)
Add the carrots, parsley, currants, almonds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature.
Yum!
Now on to the kabobs, they are so easy and delicious, and always get me into a summer fun mood :) I adapted this recipe from a recipe that came in the instruction book with my indoor electric grill. The original recipe was for Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs but I just switched the chicken for tofu and swapped the onion for mushrooms.
Teriyaki Tofu Veggie Kabobs
Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
3/4 cup brown sugar (this was a little too sweet, so I might decrease the brown sugar a touch next time)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 block Nasoya extra firm tofu, cut into approx. 1 inch cubes, drained well on paper towels
3 bell peppers -- I used red, orange, and yellow
1 small package of whole button mushrooms
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
1. Mix marinade ingredients together.
2. Prepare veggies, clean and cut peppers into approx. 1 inch pieces.
3. Marinade tofu for at least 30 minutes, I did it in a zip lock bag.
4. Skewer the tofu and veggies, make sure if using wooden skewers they have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.
5. Place skewers on preheated grill (350) rotating every 5-10 minutes and brushing with excess marinde, for 15-20 minutes, until desired doneness.
This was such a delicious dinner! The kids especially had fun making their kabobs. The kabobs and couscous went so well together, what great flavor combinations.
