Equipment
Ingredients
Fluffy Couscous
- 200 g dry couscous
- 240 ml vegetable broth
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 g kosher salt
Tomato and Chickpea Stew
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 4 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 400 g canned diced tomatoes
- 240 g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 120 ml vegetable broth
- 100 g kale, thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Prepare all vegetables on a cutting board using a chef knife. Dice the yellow onion, mince the garlic cloves, and strip the kale leaves from their fibrous stalks before chopping the leaves roughly.
Heat 30ml of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir continuously until the spices are highly fragrant and evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, rinsed chickpeas, and 120ml of vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, lower the heat, and maintain a steady simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 240ml of vegetable broth, 15ml of olive oil, and the kosher salt to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F.
Remove the boiling broth from the heat immediately. Stir in the dry couscous, cover the saucepan tightly with its lid, and let it stand undisturbed off the heat for 5 minutes.
Fold the chopped kale into the simmering tomato and chickpea stew. Cook until the kale leaves are tender and wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Remove the lid from the couscous and rake through it gently using a fork to separate the grains. Divide the fluffed couscous among shallow bowls and generously spoon the warm chickpea and kale stew over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the dry spices in the hot oil before adding your liquid ingredients blooms their essential oil compounds, creating a vastly deeper and more complex flavor profile.
- For an extra layer of savory depth and umami, try stirring a teaspoon of tomato paste into the onions just before adding the spices, allowing it to caramelize slightly.
- Massaging the chopped kale briefly with a pinch of salt before folding it into the stew can help break down its tough cellulose structure for a softer finish.
- Always use a fork rather than a spoon to fluff your finished couscous. A spoon will compress the delicate grains and cause them to clump together into a paste.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the couscous and the stew in separate airtight containers to prevent the grains from becoming mushy.
Freezer: 3 months — The stew freezes exceptionally well. Do not freeze the couscous, as its texture degrades significantly upon thawing.
Reheating: Warm the stew gently in a saucepan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened too much in the fridge. Reheat the couscous briefly in the microwave with a damp paper towel to restore moisture.
