Busy busy busy... is what I have been, for the past month!
So wrapped up in work, I neglected this blog!
Today I want to bring you another dinner entré, which is has a first course and a side dish all in one!
I've been meaning to try my very onw cous cous recipe for some time now and was never really sure ingredients exactly to include. I've read a few recipes online and asked around. Apparently it's easier than you think. Basically, anything goes. Yep. You can put just about anything in there!
Personally, I've been craving that slight curry flavour, without overloading on the tastebds and killing everything else. So this is what I whipped up last night. Believe me... you're gonna love it!
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 4-6 skinned, boneless chicken breast filets (not the entire breast) [depending on appetite]
- 5-6 slices of grilled eggplant (sliced about 1cm/half and inch thick)
- 2-3 grilled zucchine, cut in half length-wise
- garlic to taste (or, alternatively, some onion) - you can use powedered garlic if you're out of fresh
- curry powder, to taste
- salt
- olive oil
- 300 gr medium grained pre-cooked dried cous cous. (It's the kind you find in a box, that says ready in 5 minutes!)
Directions:
Start off by oven roasting, BBQ grilling or broiling your vegetables. Be sure not to dry them out to much, but brown them enough to give them that distinct flavour and texture. (I used grilled vegetables as they were leftovers... you can of course start with fresh diced vegetables, and sautée them with olive oil and a bit of garlic, but this will of course take longer...).
Cut your chicken into thins trips and then dice them all up.
In a large sautée pan, put olive oil (to almost cover the bottom) and 1-2 cloves of garlic, and brown until golden (garlic powder will do also, if you're out of the fresh kid)
Gradually add the grilled vegetables, cutting into small bite-size pieces while the oil is sautéeing the garlic. Add salt and some curry powder. (mine is in the jar with holes in the top, so I pour it gradually... but I'd say add about 2 tsps, depending on how strong your powder is and how strong of a taste you like).
Cook until nicely flavoured and browned, about 10 mins. Now add your chicken, seasoned with some salt. If it all seems too dry, add some water. Alternatively, you can add some concentrated tomatoe paste (1-2 tsps), dissolved in some hot water. I went with plain water.
Stir nicely, mixing everything in and add more curry, about another 2-3 tsps (and salt, if necessary). Once it's ready, set aside.
Now for the cous cous. I just followed the directions on the box, which are really simple and fast.Basically put the cous cous in a pot and add equal amounts of warm water or a bit of soup broth or stock cube (the ratio is, one glass of cous cous and equal amount of liquid, which is enough for two people. so for this recipe, double that). Add some olive oil and stir for a few seconds and then let it sit for about 5 minutes (Be sure to do this OFF the stove).
When you've returned to your pot, you'll find the cous cous has absorbed all your water.
If it seems too sticky, add a little bit more olive oil.
Serve hot, with your curry vegetables and chicken on top. Voilà!
YUM!
