Moroccan couscous: what to serve it with

Moroccan couscous with ginger is the spiciest cup in the range: cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic, freeze-dried corn and walnuts. On its own it works as a side, but in Morocco couscous is never eaten alone — it is the base on which vegetables, legumes and sauce are laid. Here is how to build that plate from what a Ukrainian supermarket has.

Sauce: a stand-in for harissa

Harissa — a fiery paste of chilli, garlic and cumin — is not sold everywhere here. A home version for two servings: mix a tablespoon of tomato paste with a teaspoon of ground paprika, a quarter teaspoon of chilli flakes, a crushed clove of garlic, a pinch of cumin and two spoons of olive oil. Let it stand for 10 min. It comes out milder than real harissa, and that is exactly why it complements the already spicy couscous rather than overpowering it. A teaspoon of sauce per serving is enough.

Roasted vegetables

The best match for this couscous is sweet vegetables that balance the ginger and cumin. Pumpkin, carrot and red onion in 2 cm cubes, a spoon of oil, salt, 25 min at 200 °C. Towards the end you can add halved cherry tomatoes — they release juice that mixes into the couscous. Put the vegetables on the couscous while hot, and a handful of fresh coriander or parsley on top. Raisins or dried apricots cut into strips are the classic Moroccan addition that seems odd at first, and then it is not the same without them.

Chickpeas

Rinse half a tin of chickpeas, pat dry with a towel and toast in a dry pan for 5 min with a pinch of paprika and salt until crispy. This adds 7–8 g of protein to the serving and a second texture. No time — just warm chickpeas from the tin, mixed with a spoon of the sauce above.

As a side to grilled tofu

As a side to a main, couscous works best with tofu: press 200 g of firm tofu under a plate for 15 min to release the water, cut into 1 cm slices, marinate in a tablespoon of soy sauce with a teaspoon of maple syrup and grill, or use a griddle pan, for 3 min on each side. Couscous on the plate, tofu on top, sauce around the edge. It works just as well with grilled aubergine.

Serving temperature

Prepare the couscous as instructed — hot water to the line, a minute under the lid — but do not serve it straight away. Give it 3–4 min: the grain finishes, the excess moisture is absorbed, the grains become fluffy, and the spices open up more fully than they do in boiling water. The right temperature on the plate is warm, about 60 °C, not scalding. The hot vegetables on top bring it up to where it should be. And one more thing: leftover couscous with vegetables the next day is a ready-made cold salad — just add lemon juice.