Israeli Couscous Primavera
There is nothing as wonderful as knowing that you can cook something which is healthy,wealthy,hearty and if that's not enough - it gets done in a jiffy too! Being lazy and wanting to be healthy don't always work well you know - and that's precisely why I totally dig such recipes. Most of the time, I find it hard to sit and cook for long hours and even if I actually end up doing a dish for more than 15-20 minutes, I make sure it has scope for multitasking where I can rush about the house and get something else done.
Israeli Couscous Primavera
The number of times, I have had my morning Tea overflowing (or almost..) in the stove is limitless ( which goes to say, we celebrate tea pongal almost every day ;)). My better half is trying to devise a customized  device to tie to my legs which would prevent my moving around until the one particular task which I undertake gets completed fully! Good Luck to that! Anyways, coming to the dish adorning today's post - Israeli Couscous Primavera . We all know Couscous, so whats with Israel - you ask? Well Israeli couscous unlike its semolina counterpart, is made of baked wheat. Wikipedia tells me that it is also called as 'ptitim' I love its texture and the chewy heartiness that it has to offer. The term "Primavera" denotes spring and any dish which has this attached to its name means that it has vegetables of spring. I wanted to make a delicious and nutritious dinner  without us missing out on our regular rice and this did indeed do the trick. I also happened to have some fresh fava beans left over from my previous dish - so used it in this dish. Now to the recipe
  • Cook time:
  • Prep time:
  • Serves: 2 people
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh fava beans, steamed - (Check How to Cook Fresh Fava beans here) You can alternatively use frozen or dried fava beans for this recipe.
  • About 3-4 medium Asparagus, trimmed and steamed
  • 1 onion
  • approx 1 cup of baby carrots
  • 1-1/2 cups Israeli Couscous
  • pinch of saffron
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • juice and zest of one lemon
  • 1-2 cups mixed bell peppers, chopped
  • mint to garnish
  • salt to taste
Method
1. In a skillet, take 1/4 tsp oil (yeah! That's enough!) and toast the couscous until aromatic.
2. Add 2 to 2-1/2 cups water/vegetable stock, salt and saffron - bring to a boil -
3. and then simmer with lids closed until all the water is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile in a skillet, add onions and baby carrots ( and a little salt to sweat the onions out)
5. and then one by one all the vegetables
6. Add the cooked couscous.
Just before serving, toss the lemon zest and juice along with mint. Serve hot! Israeli Couscous Primavera

Leave a Reply

I love to hear from you! I read each and every comment, and will get back as soon as I am able to.
Did you try this recipe? Please share your feedback!
Upload Your Recipe Photos

16 Comments

By egyptian on May 20, 2012

It's great and all, but why is it under the Egyptian section ??!!

By Dida on May 4, 2010

How many servings does this make?

Makes decent portion sizes for 2-3 ppl --DK

By vanamala on Jun 10, 2009

This is gr8 looking..love the recipe

By Madhuram on Jun 9, 2009

There's definitely something going between us DK. Yesterday I made couscous (not Israeli though) with 3 color bell peppers, sort of Moroccan. This is at least the 3rd this is happening, firt ragi, then the baked vadai and now this. Only one disadvantage though, I'm not able to post mine because you are blogging about it first. I have to wait a couple of weeks/months for others to forget it. Very very bad!

LOL sweetie! Birds of a feather - and it will sound mushy/unreal but it has happened to me so many times with baked goods with you that now I am only shocked if it does not happen ;) - will surely wait for ur version for it will be totally worth it :)

By madhui on Jun 9, 2009

Im a newby here..Just wondering if regular couscous is same as israel couscous or is it different? pics are wonderful and vibrant...Thanks 4 posting.. couscous is one of my fav ingredient in my kitchen. I cook for myself as my husband and son dont like it.... but i njoy it!! Hey Madhuri, welcome to my kitchen :). Regular couscous is different from Israeli couscous. The main differences that I know of are: Regular couscous is tiny sized about a millimeter in diameter prior to cooking, while Israeli couscous is much larger - refer the 2nd picture in the post. Regular couscous is made of semolina wheat with a coating of wheat flour while Israeli couscous is made of baked wheat - hard wheat flour which is roasted in an oven. Regular couscous is cooked by adding it to salted boiled water and simmered while Israeli couscous is toasted and cooked along with water/stock as I mentioned in the post

By Sudeep on Jun 9, 2009

Thanks for this nice post . I have always had doubt how to make any recipie with couscous . I am defiantly trying it out tonight for my dinner . Regards Sudeep Thanks for the comment Sudeep and welcome to my little space. The cooking of the usual couscous (yellow colored most often seen in the shops ) is pretty straightforward. That process is little different from this one in the sense that it does not need toasting like Israeli couscous. Just boil salted water and then add the couscous directly. Switch off the gas and with a lid on let it sit for a while. You will find after 5-10min the couscous would have absorbed all the water. Just fluff it up with a fork and serve.

By Israeli Couscous Primavera recipe | Chef In You | Israel Today on Jun 9, 2009

[...] more here: Israeli Couscous Primavera recipe | Chef In You Tags: and-wounded, couscous-primavera-, gets-done, Healthy, hearty-and, palestinians, [...]

By Israeli Couscous Primavera recipe | Chef In You | Israel Today on Jun 9, 2009

[...] here to read the rest: Israeli Couscous Primavera recipe | Chef In You Tags: gets-done, Healthy, hearty-and, noble-energy, percent-larger [...]

By CurryLeaf on Jun 9, 2009

I am yet to see Israeli couscous.Love the nutritious dish.So healthy and delicious.BTW,I too multitask,thgh never celebrated pongal everyday.Maybe I am just lucky or the thght of cleaning up the stove afterwards somehow alerts me .Love the couscous LOL! Good for you Sweatha! Believe me the cleaning up tactics is what makes it "almost pongal" most of the time!

By Pavani on Jun 9, 2009

I can imagine you running around the house while food is boiling away on the stove. I'm a little bit like that, I try to clean/ fold clothes etc while cooking, I dont like baby-sitting my food. Primevera looks delicious, I've been on the look out for Isreali couscous for a while now, will try in wholefoods this time. Btw your pics always look so bright and lovely, do you use sunlight or any other kind of lighting?? If you don't mind post a pic of your photo setup.. Thanks DK. Thanks Pavani - believe it or not my photo setup is one tripod and a camera! I am still not big onto the placement setting,mats and napkins. Most of the time, I am click and pick type - At most every post of mine will have 10-12 pictures and most of them are pictures for the steps. I am not very patient and I dont have the time to take elaborate pictures either. The current house has lots of sunlight...so that really does the trick!:)

By Happy Cook on Jun 9, 2009

This is indeed really halthy. I hardly make milk teas so there is not trouble of boiling over milk trouble. But there are lot of other food things boil over in my place and when i see tha thappening, i give a shout too :-)

By Jyoti on Jun 9, 2009

Looks healthy and delicious...never tried to make anything with couscous at home...this gives me a start !

By Parita on Jun 9, 2009

I havent experimented with couscous much..looking at your post i need to start doing so :) looks colorful and healthy

By vineelasiva on Jun 8, 2009

Wow nice and simple dish.I never tried this .Wr we can get the couscous. Hey Vineela - depending upon the place you live in the US, u will find it in either your local store or most probably in the health food stores....

By Kalai on Jun 8, 2009

I so have to get my hands on this Israeli couscous. I tried it in a restaurant and love the texture. Yours looks like such a delicious and hearty dish! :) Thanks Dear :) I love the texture too

By Soma on Jun 8, 2009

I make couscous pretty often, esp. for my quick lunch with all veggies. Looks lovely & colorful! thanks :)