Easy Aromatic Sephardic Couscous: Your Tastebuds Will Thank You!

Tired of the same old couscous? Discover the Sephardic secret to a more vibrant and flavorful version! This recipe not only tastes amazing, but in this video, I offer a glimpse into the rich culinary heritage of the origin of couscous. Learn how to make this satisfying and wholesome dish that will impress your family and friends. Watch unlock the deliciousness!

You shall require the following:

1 Cup Couscous
1 1/2 Cups Butternut Squash
Salt & Pepper to taste (being mindful of the salt in the bouillon)
1/2 TSP Oregano
Avocado Oil (or high smoke point oil)
Dried Apricots (handful)
Dates (handful)
Raisins (handful)
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 1/2 TSP Organic Better Than Bouillon Veggie Bouillon
1 1/2 Cups Hot Water
1 TBSP Olive Oil
3 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
3 TSP Ras El Hanout
1/3 Cup Hot Water (if needed)
1/4 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
3 TBSP Almonds
Cilantro – Garnish (or fresh herbs of choice)

Optional parings:
Veggie Shish Kababs
Battered Roasted Cauliflower
Salad

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Thoughts/notes:

Couscous takes between 5-15 minutes to cook depending on the brand. For the longer time, you’ll want to add in the extra spice and water mixture around the 5 minute mark. With about 1 or two minutes left feel free to add the dried fruits. After you take it off of the heat, mix in the roasted squash. Then you’re good to enjoy adding the final delicious toppings.😋

Dry toasting the almonds adds a nice depth of flavour and brings out more of the sweetness from the almonds.

Of course there are a lot of prepared foods out there that can speed things up even further for you. E.g.: You can find roasted chopped almonds in stores, pre-cubed squash, and pre-sliced dried apricots to boot!

I love to see how different recipes get shared, and journey from country to country. It is interesting how different cultures put their own spin on things. I love to add personal twists to dishes from around the world, and show how easy it is to enjoy the vegan versions of such recipes.

For a gluten free version you can try the tapioca or corn couscous if it is easy for you to find. Otherwise, quinoa is a good alternative. Check the cook times for the alternatives and keep in mind that the texture may be a little different. Let me know what your experience is with gluten free alternatives.

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Music:

Paseo – House of the Gipsies
Eastern euphoria – Patrick Patrikios

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#couscous #sephardic #easyrecipe

Welcome back everyone to another episode of Cooking with JJ. If you watched last week’s episode, you may have noticed a very delicious looking couscous. Well, in this week’s episode, get ready to transport your taste buds to a world of fragrant, vibrant deliciousness as we dive into this sphartic inspired couscous with a touch of Moroccan influence with the warmth of our ras al hanut. We got a little bit of sweetness with our pomegranate and dried fruits and a nice texture contrast that will surely delight and excite you. I know it excites me. I’m really excited to get started on this recipe and of course enjoy it in the end. So without further ado, let’s head over to the kitchen and get cooking. [Music] I have some butternut squash here I’m peeling and I’m going to cube some. [Music] I’m using about 1 and 1/2 cups worth [Music] [Music] [Music] I’m coating the butternut squash with oil. I’m adding some freshly ground black pepper, a little salt, and oregano. And we’ll cook this in the oven at 425 F for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway through. I’m slicing up some dried apricots. Cutting our dates in half and making sure the insides are safe. Slice them up. We also have some raisins here. I’m getting zest of one lemon here. [Music] We got about a tablespoon’s [Music] worth. Now I’m flipping our squash pieces. I’m adding 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of our organic Better Than Bong veggie bouong in this pot. And I’m adding 1 and 1/2 cups worth of our hot water. Mix it up so it dissolves. I’m adding one cup of our couscous into our pot and we’ll let it cook. These tiny granules have a rich history in northwest Africa, the Madagreb region, Algeria, Libya, Moritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. And for centuries, its preparation has symbolized joy, abundance, and it’s especially lucky if you enjoy couscous for wedding celebrations. They found couscousier, a traditional cooking vessels of couscous in tombs in what we now call today Algeria. However, because that’s all they found, they didn’t find any further evidence. They couldn’t attribute the origin of couscous to that region at that time. However, the definite origin of couscous, according to Charles Perry, notable food historian, goes back to the 11th to 13th century. They attribute it to all the texts that were found describing the preparations of couscous as well as cookbooks. In conclusion, they attribute the origin to the Berber people and they call themselves the Amaz people, the free people. Throughout the eras, the McGrebie women were accustomed to backbreaking labor of hand rolling the semolina in the perfect shaped couscous balls. This would often be accompanied by singing. And it’s truly a tedious labor of love and tradition. and they’ve tried to pass on this tradition to the younger generation. However, with modern-day technology and machinery, I am gonna be honest, they’re a little on the lazy side. Our couscous is almost done. And I’m adding 1 tbsp of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon [Music] juice. And I’m adding 3 teaspoon of a ras alhan spice to a 1/3 cup of water. [Music] Stir it all up and then add it to your couscous. We have a couple more minutes of cook time here. The idea of using processed semolina in this way has inspired the creation of dishes from around the world. In Brazil, for an example, they made their own version of couscous with tapioca. They make a creamy mixture with some sweetness and coconut. And they also made a corn version of couscous as well. It just shows you how different cultures can take something and create amazing recipes using a similar texture. Here’s a nutritional boost for you. One cup of couscous provides 78% of your daily selenium needs. So, not only is it delicious, but it’s also nutritious. I’m adding our lemon zest in the mix and our dried fruits. Give it a gentle stir. [Music] Now our squash is all cooked up and we’re ready to pour it into our pot. Mix it up [Music] gently. Now we’re ready to serve it. [Music] Top it with your [Music] pomegranate and fresh herbs of your choice. I’m using cilantro here. You may also like to dry toast some almonds to top this off. And I’m pairing this with a salad, our vegan skewers, and our marinated roasted cauliflower. [Music] It’s that time again, everyone. I get to try our delicious Bartic inspired couscous with a hint of influence from Morocco. And of course, they added some toasted almonds at the end. I made some vegan kebabs and some delicious cauliflower. I really love the contrast of the savory and the sweet, the beautiful texture contrast. Perfect seasoning level warmth from the Ross Alhan is just beautiful. Simply divine. Love the little extra crunch with the toasted almonds I added at the end. And by the way, this one can be enjoyed hot or cold as well, which makes it a nice versatile choice. So there you have it everyone, another delicious recipe to add to your recipe booklets. And remember, if you like this video in any way, shape, or form, hit that thumbs up button, subscribe to my channel, and hit that little bell notification icon so you don’t miss a single video. There’s going to be a new video popping up every Monday at 12:00 noon Eastern so you don’t want to miss it. Until next time, this is JJ signing off, keeping things interesting in my kitchen and in yours. Bone appetite. [Music]