Couscous Salad with Avocado & Prawns

A fresh, easy dish to make and ready to eat within 30 minutes! Couscous is a grain product made by drizzling salted water onto coarsely ground hard durum wheat to form tiny balls of dough. The balls are rubbed until uniform in size and then dried. Its texture is nuttier than long-grain rice and the instant variety cooks in far less time than most rice or pasta. Couscous is a popular dish from Morocco and North Africa which is now appreciated worldwide. It is served with meat, fish, vegetables and spices.

Serves 4
recipe from Good Taste

190g (1 cup) couscous
125ml (1/2 cup) chicken stock
125ml (1/2 cup) water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 small Lebanese cucumbers, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, halved, deseeded, fine chopped
1 small avocado, halved, stone removed, peeled and thinly sliced
400g peeled cooked prawns, deveined
1/3 cup shredded fresh mint

Dressing
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place couscous in a heatproof bowl. Place stock and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir in oil. Pour the stock over the couscous and stir to combine. Set aside, covered, for 3 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate the grains. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, to make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cucumber, carrot, pepper, avocado, prawns and mint to the couscous and toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Divide among serving plates and serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: This salad can be prepared ahead of time and left in the fridge. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving as this allows the flavors to develop. Enjoy!