Couscous Salad -- A Taste Sensation

Total Time: 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 (540 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced (can omit)
• 1/3 cup dried apricots or 1/3 cup papaya, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (284 ml) can mandarin oranges (these are my addition, may want to retain juice) or 1 (284 ml) can similar amount pineapple (these are my addition, may want to retain juice)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (can omit)
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil (scant)
• salt & pepper

Recipe

• 1 salad:.
• 2 place couscous in a large bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over; let stand 5 minutes. in separate bowl, pour remaining boiling water over raisins; let stand 5 minutes.
• 3 fluff couscous with fork; drain raisins; stir into couscous. add chick peas, green onions, red pepper, zucchini, papaya/apricot, mandarin oranges & parsley. toss gently.
• 4 dressing:.
• 5 in a bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, cumin, turmeric & hot pepper sauce. gradually whisk in olive oil (you may wish to substitute some of the retained orange/pineapple juice for some of the olive oil). season to taste with salt & pepper. pour over salad; toss.
• 6 cover & refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.