Sun-Dried Tomato Couscous with Fennel & Caraway Seeds
Not much in the fridge today so I did a mash-up of Middle Eastern & Italian cuisine, and made something quick and savory. The simple couscous is flavored with sun-dried tomatoes and the refreshing fennel salad with lemon and caraway seeds. Fennel is one of my favorite aromatic vegetables and adds a refreshing crispness to the salad. The combination of the two somehow worked. This would also make a nice side dish. Next time I would probably add some fresh peas into the couscous. Hope you enjoy this delicious, easy, plant-based vegan recipe as much as I did.
- 1½ cups of couscous
- 2 cups of water
- 5 tablespoons of tomatoe paste (or make your own with 7 sundried tomatoes in oil, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp veggie broth & teaspoon lemon juice - put into food processor and process into paste)
- pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 small fennel bulbs
- Handful of mint, chopped
- 3 teaspoons of caraway seeds toasted
- 1 lemon squeezed of juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
- Boil 2 cups of water. Put couscous into a bowl and pour the water over. Add the tomato paste, stir and cover the bowl with a plate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make fennel salad
- Whisk together lemon juice and olive oil dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Grate 2 small fennels
- Toss with chopped mint and dressing.
- Put couscous on a large plate.
- Top the middle with fennel salad. Garnish with caraway seeds or toasted nuts.