Green Chilli Couscous

This spicy and fresh green chilli couscous can be made in advance and served as a side dish, but is equally at ease as the main event.

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous

• 100g fresh coriander

• 25g flat leaf parsley

• 2 green chillis, ends removed and roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup unsalted raw pistachios

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 heaped tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 4 small spring onions, very finely sliced

• 2 large handfuls rocket leaves, roughly chopped

Method

In a large bowl, pour the couscous, and add the same amount (1 cup) of boiling water. Quickly stir with a spoon, then cover with lid and set aside to steam for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes have elapsed, removed the lid, and with a fork, lightly begin to scrape the couscous starting from the top and working your way down to separate the grains. Once done, set aside to cool.

In a medium skillet on medium-low heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil, and once hot, fry the chopped onion, stirring continuously, until soft and translucent (about 8-10 minutes). Once done, turn off heat, and stir in cumin powder and salt until well combined. Set aside on plate or bowl to cool.

Bring the skillet the onions were fried in back on to high heat, and once steaming add the pistachios. Keep the pan moving so that the pistachios are toasted but not burned. When they look golden in colour remove from pan on to a chopping board and let cool.

In a food processor, whizz together the green chilli (include seeds), coriander, parsley, and olive oil until It becomes a thick but wet paste.

Pour onion mixture and coriander paste into bowl containing couscous, and mix thoroughly so that there are no dry couscous patches and colouring looks even.

Roughly chop pistachios and rocket leaves, then add both to green couscous and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.