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Couscous

I have wanted to try a pasta alternative for my packed breakfast cum lunches, and I've always wanted to try couscous cos it looks so intriguing - grainy yet looks like mashed potatoes.

Another reason for cooking couscous is my leftover chicken stock from the Hainanese Chicken Rice. I need a reason to use it since I have painstakingly strained it (though not all) and it's not easy to get homemade healthy halal chicken stock. I hate those chicken cubes urgh. Also my chicken stock has pandan flavour huahuahua.

I didn't realise couscous is so easy to prepare! Way faster than pasta. Boil 1/2 cup of stock, turn it off, add 1/2 cup of couscous and wait for 2 minutes. Add lil bit of butter and fluff it up and it's done! 1/2 cup can make both my breakfast and lunch, cos after adding stuff to it like chicken, vegetables etc, it really becomes a big portion. If only The Husband would like to eat such things hahaha.

Yesterday I did couscous with shredded black pepper chicken ($5.80 for a whole cooked chicken from NTUC/Giant!) raw carrot slices, chickpeas and dried cranberries. Dressed them with the juice of 4 limes and some dried thyme. Lime and thyme don't only rhyme well, but they compliment each other well! Gives this salad thingy a nice tangy flavour.


Today I recreated the same thing, with the addition of whole cherry tomatoes. This couscous can be a lifesaver when I need quick dishes. I think this needs to be a staple in my pantry. Maybe it's time to revisit quinoa and see if it can be my packed meal too.

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