Curried Israeli Couscous & Walnut Pilaf

By California Walnuts
Total Time
0 Mins
Serves
15
Meal
Dinner Lunch
Course
Side

DESCRIPTION

This middle-eastern inspired recipe will please anyone craving a bit of spice. Dried currants, lemon, honey and walnuts give texture and taste.

Prep Time
0 Mins
Cook Time
0 Mins
Total Time
0 Mins
Calories
420
Total Fat
13
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
Cholesterol
6
Sodium
180
Carbohydrates
70
Dietary Fiber
5
Protein
13

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 cups onions, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, mild
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, ground
  • 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 6 cups Israeli couscous
  • 9 cups water, boiling
  • 1 1/2 cups currants, dried
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 1/4 cups California walnuts, toasted, chopped
  • 3/4 cup cilantro, fresh, minced

Preparation

  1. Melt butter in large saucepan; sauté onions, carrots and celery until softened.
  2. Stir in spices; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in Israeli couscous; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  4. Add boiling water and currants. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in lemon juice and honey.
  5. Reserve 1 cup of the walnuts for sprinkling on top; add remaining walnuts and cilantro to mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of walnuts.

Tip: For creamier texture, add small amounts of additional boiling water to the couscous until desired texture is achieved.