Black Garlic Recipe
A Warm & Healthy Salad: that includes all your favourite ingredients.
Couscous with black garlic is easily adapted by incorporating various ingredients and seasonings according to your preferences. The surprise addition of black garlic adds a unique flavour profile providing a slightly sweet, tangy, and savoury taste.
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Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad – A Healthy Fast Food
Even though couscous looks like a grain, it is technically a type of pasta as it’s made from semolina flour and durum wheat. Couscous is commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern cuisines and is known for its versatility and ability to absorb flavours.
- With its low glycemic index (GI), pearl couscous ensures a sustained feeling of satisfaction and fullness. By gradually releasing energy, low GI foods have a gentle impact on blood sugar levels.
- Made from semolina flour and durum wheat, couscous retains more nutrients than many other carbohydrates. With its versatility and ability to absorb flavours, it can be a valuable addition to a well-rounded and balanced diet, offering a healthy and delicious alternative to other carbohydrate sources.
- By incorporating couscous into your diet, you can increase your fibre intake, which will help you feel satisfied for longer and potentially aid in weight management. Additionally, a fibre-rich diet can reduce your risk in developing health conditions related to chronic inflammation such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad
A warm salad that’s anything you want it to be!
If you’re normally one to adhere strictly to the recipe, then this is the dish to break free and start experimenting.
The adaptability of black garlic couscous pearl salad allows you to experiment with different ingredients, seasonings, and textures to create a personalized and enjoyable meal that suits your specific taste preferences.
Keep it simple for kids and fussy eaters or get experimental by adding your favourite ingredients (or whatever you have left in the fridge at the end of the week). I feel colorful food is appetizing food, which is why I use red capsicum, green spinach and obviously black garlic!
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad – served warm
Equipment
- saucepan
- serving platter
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup pearl couscous
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 3 sliced spring onions
- 3 cloves black garlic (finely diced with a wet chopping board)
- 1 red capsicum (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped
- 1 handful torn rocket leaves or baby spinach leaves
- 50 gms feta (broken into bite size pieces)
Instructions
- heat oil in a saucepan and toast couscous until lightly golden (approx 2 mins)
- cover with stock and gently simmer for 8-10 mins until liquid has absorbed and pearls are cooked (add extra stock if necessary to cook a little longer)
- remove from heat, stir through 1 tbspn olive oil (extra), then add chopped vegetables & herbs to the saucepan and mix thoroughly
- arrange on a serving platter with rocket or spinach leaves
- dot with feta and serve warm
Notes
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad
ÂSuggested Variations: Mediterranean: add ¼ cherry tomatoes, ¼ discs of cucumber, baby spinach, sliced black olives and add chick peas. Garnish with chopped parsley. Asian: add sauté mushrooms, sliced snow peas and celery. Garnish with pine nuts and coriander. Roasted Vegetable: dice and roast a mixture of your favourite vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, cauliflower, zucchini)  To bring together a Cold Salad for a hot day, add 1 tblsp olive oil to cooked couscous. Stir occasionally whilst cooling to avoid couscous forming clumps. Just before serving add vegetables and stir through a dressing that will pair with your choice of healthy herbs and vegetables. I find a dressing is not always necessary if the salad is fresh and moist.
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad
Exploring the Delicious Harmony
The Irresistible Combination of Sweet Umami Flavour and Chewy Texture in Black Garlic couscous pearl salad
The combination of sweet/umami flavour and chewy texture of black garlic cloves can enhance the taste of pearl couscous for a few reasons:
- Umami flavour: Black garlic is known for its rich umami taste. Umami is considered the fifth basic taste, alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It’s often described as a savory, meaty, or brothy flavor that can add depth and complexity to dishes. When combined with pearl couscous, the umami flavor from black garlic can complement the mild taste of the couscous, making it more satisfying and flavorful.
- Sweetness: As black garlic undergoes fermentation, the natural sugars present in garlic are transformed into complex compounds, resulting in a sweet flavor. The sweetness of black garlic can provide a pleasant contrast to the savory and nutty flavors of pearl couscous. It adds a touch of complexity and balance to the overall taste profile of the dish.
- Texture: The chewy texture of black garlic cloves can create a delightful contrast to the tender and fluffy texture of pearl couscous. Texture plays a significant role in the overall enjoyment of a dish, and combining different textures can make the eating experience more interesting and satisfying.
By incorporating black garlic into pearl couscous, you’re introducing a unique combination of flavours and textures that work together harmoniously to enhance the overall taste of the dish.
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad
Pearl couscous V’s Moroccan couscous
Whats the difference between these 2 types of couscous?
Pearl couscous (sometimes called Israeli couscous) needs to be simmered in stock or water. Its delicious beads resemble small pearls (hence its name) and have a slippery soft but slightly chewy texture. Being larger in site pearl couscous take longer to cook.
Moroccan couscous is the most common type of couscous found in stores worldwide & is much smaller. Its been precooked and only needs to be reconstituted with boiling water and fluffed up with a fork before serving. Although very quick to prepare, it has a different texture than pearl couscous.
Why is my pearl couscous gummy?
Toasting in a little olive oil before simmering in liquid is the key. This has 3 benefits:-
- The pearls become golden in colour, benefiting the finished dish’s overall look.
- They take on a delicious nutty flavour.
- Stirring the saucepan occasionally while toasting will help keep the pearls separate and prevent them from sticking together.
In addition, adding a little lemon juice whilst boiling will help to cut down on the release of starch from the pearls.
Conclusion
Black Garlic Couscous Pearl Salad – warm salad
This warm couscous salad can so quickly become a meal in itself. The addition of a protein of your choice will turn it into a one-pot dish and an easy meal to pop on the table in minutes. Whether you opt for grilled chicken, lamb backstrap, prawns or roasted tofu, the protein infusion will elevate the salad and transform it into a well-rounded meal ticking all the nutrient boxes.
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