My Own Recipe - Cool!

I think I wrote an actual recipe tonight by accident. It was kind of cool. I started thinking I was really in a cooking mood mid-afternoon, and I tried to think of what I already had that I could make something with needing just a couple extra ingredients. I remembered I had couscous - the real kind - and some dried fruit (both apricots and raisins). Couscous with fruit is a common dish, and is often associated with some Middle-eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. I searched Food Network and All Recipes for a good way to use these things together, and I came across a Dave Lieberman recipe for curried couscous with dried cranberries.

Walnuts, apricots, and raisins, ready to go into the dish

I figured any flavors that went with cranberries would also go with most other dried fruits, and I'd had a dish with my sister that was similar that I'd enjoyed. The curry was another draw, as just a few weeks ago I tried a curried tuna salad sandwich at a local cafe to my office called Flour Bakery, and it had been one of the better sandwiches I'd had in a while. I used to hate curry, but I discovered it first in Asian dishes and grew to really like the slightly spicy but deep flavor. I love how it kind of tickles your palate.

Along the way, I realized I'd made so many changes in Lieberman's recipe that basically it was now a Lisa creation. I've been doing more of this lately - adapting recipes to my own tastes and uses - and I really enjoy it. I think it signifies how far I have come in knowing cooking techniques and developing a good palate. So I will take a shot in writing up this recipe, just to show how I made it different. I call my version Curried Couscous with Tofu and Apricots. When I got home I realized I also had about a 1/3 of a block of tofu leftover, and that I should toss that into the dish. I loved the result - the couscous cooked well, the curry wasn't too strong, and the tofu made it feel more like a main dish than a side. I used a lot less curry powder than the recipe said to because I like a subtle taste. If you really love curry, put in more. The only mistake was that I stupidly didn't write a shopping list and forgot to buy scallions. I ate well and have plenty leftover for a lunch tomorrow. This is also such a healthy dish - there is virtually no oil or butter, all the flavor comes from spice and natural sweet - and the nuts, fruits, and tofu are excellent for you. If you try it, write me a comment about how it goes!

Yummy!

Here is the original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/curried-couscous-salad-with-dried-sweet-cranberries-recipe/index.html

Here is mine:

Curried Couscous with Tofu and Apricots

1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 cup water
8 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed
10 dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of walnuts, chopped
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
juice of 1 medium orange
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 scallions, just the greens, chopped
pepper to taste

1. Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan until they are slightly brown and fragrant. Set aside.

2. Spray cooking spray into the same pan, toss in cubed tofu. Saute until lightly golden on all sides.

Tofu getting nice and brown

3. Meanwhile, boil 1 cup of water. When boiling, add couscous, apricots, raisins, curry powder, salt, and orange juice. Stir and cover tightly. Turn off the burner.
4. Allow couscous to cook until water is absorbed and couscous is soft. Add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, scallions, and tofu. Stir with a fork to fluff couscous. Serve warm or cold.

The finished product!