Here is a creative way to make couscous without wheat or gluten for all Vegan and gluten-free souls. Couscous originated from Morocco between the 11th century and 13th century and is traditionally made of crushed durum wheat semolina balls, may not be entirly gluten free as couscous is mainly made from the starch of wheat. Other cereals made out of other grains were named couscous too, but it should not be confused with this Moroccan staple. Because of its natural color and shape, This is a version of cauliflower couscous can replace these grains or tiny balls of flour.
The cauliflower is healthy, low-carb, low glycemic, high in potassium and vitamin C. It is also high in choline, which is important in keeping an alert mind and sharp memory, and contains sulforaphane, which is essential in fighting cancer. It’s also a cruciferous vegetable, and these types of vegetables help balance hormones and keep the immune system strong and robust.
This dish also contains some argan oil, simply amazing and unique kind of oil. The Moroccan Argan oil comes from the Argan tree that grows in arid conditions with little water. This oil has been famous and has been used for centuries for health and beauty.
Try serving CauliCouscousCube starter to impress your family and friends. Not only is it healthy, but if you plate it up like a perfect cube, it is beautiful to look at. And of course, it’s very delicious. Follow the recipe below to learn more.
CauliCousCousCube
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 3 okra or ladies fingers (choose the youngest and tender ones), diagonally sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1-2 tbsp of olive oil (depending on how big the cauliflower is)
- 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
- 1 tsp black poppy seeds (cascas)
- 1 tsp natural sea salt
- 1/2 tsp of pepper
- A dash of nutmeg
- A dash of argan oil
Instructions
Remove the stem and green parts of the flower.
Grate the flower into tiny bits with a small grater. Or you can pulse in the food processor until it looks like tiny grains.
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat some olive oil and add the turmeric powder, nutmeg, black pepper, and poppy seeds. Let it sweat out for a minute.
Add the okra and cauliflower, and sauté for a minute or two.
Add salt and give it a gentle mix; this is almost a raw dish.
Spread a dash of argan oil and give a mix and set aside.
You can serve it on a plate as it is, or in leaf cups. However, if you want to plate it nicely, follow the next instructions.
Using a square mold, place a layer of the couscous until it half the depth of the mold. Gently yet firmly press down to let the couscous take the mold's shape.
Place an even layer of sliced okra on the top of the first tier.
Add more couscous on the top of the layer of okra and again firmly but gently press the couscous into the mold.
Garnish with a few slices of okra (arranging them like a fan or flower) and diced red bell peppers.
Notes
Argan oil is amazing for the skin and has a unique and gentle musky flavour. The oil comes from pressing Argan seeds which are only available in Morocco. The seeds look like almond nuts. When I was travelling through Morocco, we stopped by a place to meditate and take a break from all the driving. After meditation, a man has curiously been watching us. I approached him, and we started and friendly conversation. That led to us visiting his home and him showing us the whole process picking the nuts, then drying, grinding the nuts and extracting the oil. It was a tiny family-owned cottage industry and tedious process all dome manually. The oil fragrance is faintly subtle and excellent for the skin and is used by commercial industries for skin and beauty care products.
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