Couscous with Mint, Parsley & Pomegranate Seeds

Lunch is that time of the day when people eat to recharge their batteries to keep them going till they get back home. This is why restaurants offer special lunch deals and service must be super fast. No fuss, no delays, no room for mistakes. A quick lunch doesn't have to compromise on the quality nor the taste of the food, so fast food as we know it shouldn't even be an option.

Part of Moroccan heritage, couscous is a very versatile grain which is obtained by steaming and drying cracked wheat. Fortunately, pre-cooked couscous is readily available in most supermarkets and local corner shops. I prefer medium-grain couscous which is coarse and when cooked, looks like tiny pearls. 

Couscous with Mint, Parsley & Pomegranate Seeds

Type of cuisine: Moroccan/Fusion

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

a small cup of couscous

a handful of chopped parsley

2 branches of chopped mint

a knob of butter

lemon juice

a pinch of salt

pomegranate seeds

crushed pistachios (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

Boil water in the kettle. Chop the parsley & mint finely. (Crush the pistachios using the blade of a big knife).

Method

Put the couscous in a large bowl and add the salt (to taste) and the butter.  Pour the hot water to cover the grain and cover the bowl with a suitable lid - this way the steam and the heat wiill seal inside the bowl and make the couscous fluffy. 

After 5 minutes, remove the lid and with a fork fluff the couscous, then add the chopped mint and parsley and squeeze some lemon juice and mix again.

To decorate sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top and halas (that's it, in Arabic), that's your lunch. :) 

Because I was in a mad rush, I had actually forgotten about the pistachios, but normally I would add some pistachios on top. It gives the dish a crunchy texture. The parsley and the lemon juice also pair very well .

Fresh mint can also be replaced with spring onions, if it's their season.

My lunch basically consisted of last night's roast chicken with lemongrass and the couscous as a side dish. SUPER SCRUMPTIOUS. 

Couscous is ideal as a bento type of lunch.  If you have a microwave at the office, you can stick it inside for a minute and you'll have a lunch that will definitely make your colleagues drool.... Enjoy :)