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 Post subject: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 27th, 2009, 7:48 pm 
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What is called in stores 'Israeli couscous' makes an excellent replacement for noodles. Approx. 8 minutes cooking, 1 part couscous for three parts water. Israeli couscous is made of little beads of wheat (much bigger than regular couscous) and cooks in such a way that it is not dry when done. Sautée an onion, with some celery, cumin, and later briefly, green/red pepper, maybe a pinch of cayenne, then mix with the cooked couscous. Quite satisfying and no cooking water to throw away (as in the case with noodles).


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 27th, 2009, 9:48 pm 
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Location: Kingston, Ontario, CANADA
carcassonne wrote:
What is called in stores 'Israeli couscous' makes an excellent replacement for noodles. Approx. 8 minutes cooking, 1 part couscous for three parts water. Israeli couscous is made of little beads of wheat (much bigger than regular couscous) and cooks in such a way that it is not dry when done. Sautée an onion, with some celery, cumin, and later briefly, green/red pepper, maybe a pinch of cayenne, then mix with the cooked couscous. Quite satisfying and no cooking water to throw away (as in the case with noodles).



anyway..i love taking couscous on camp trips; seems to work better than trying to boil up noodles and is more versitile...i'll try your recipe...

*edited because I respect Barbara*

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 28th, 2009, 5:31 am 
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I forgot to mention.. as it's often the case with regular couscous on camping trips, adding a bit of bouillon in the cooking water is nice.

Compared to regular couscous this one needs cooking. You'll see, it has more to do with noodles than couscous after all.


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 28th, 2009, 7:58 am 
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Location: Kanata, Ontario Canada
Za'atar has a nice flavor to add to either couscous or make a paste with sesame oil and cook it up on pita with a little cheese for lunch. (I buy them as my form of fast food at a local shop) The Lebanese version apparently has sumac berries for a nice red color.
No idea which is better as I haven't tried all versions yet....always best to have an open mind

hey found this place as a source for egg powder among other things, haven't ordered yet but you shouldn't have any border issues as it's Canadian (BC actually and all natural):
http://www.gallowaysfoods.com/spices.html
forgot to mention the soup bases at Galloway's are MSG free

another thing on my radar to try is dried lemons
http://blog.foodista.com/tag/dried-lemons/

a friend of mine did razor thin grape fruit dried on the rind in a dehyrator once and it was a nice zippy flavor as an app.....doubt the Vit C remained but the flavor was intense and nice

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 28th, 2009, 9:05 am 
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Yeah, Couscous is great for canoe camping. In addition, you might be able to find couscous mixed with quinoa and bulger and a variety of other seeds, grains in nuts in a nearly instant form.

Infact, I like alot of middle-eastern food for canoe camping. It really breaks up the routine aspect of eating in the bush. Last year, around Day 10 I made a Morroccan Poulet Au Citron which is made with a preserved lemon. That's essentially a lemmon that is cut into a flower and rubbed with salt. Preserved in this manner it can be stored unrefrigerated essentially forever. We served Isreali Couscous with that meal as well. So there are plenty of interesting things you can do when you explore middle eastern foods.

PK


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 28th, 2009, 10:55 am 
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Location: Kingston, Ontario, CANADA
pknoerr wrote:
Yeah, Couscous is great for canoe camping. In addition, you might be able to find couscous mixed with quinoa and bulger and a variety of other seeds, grains in nuts in a nearly instant form.

Infact, I like alot of middle-eastern food for canoe camping. It really breaks up the routine aspect of eating in the bush. Last year, around Day 10 I made a Morroccan Poulet Au Citron which is made with a preserved lemon. That's essentially a lemmon that is cut into a flower and rubbed with salt. Preserved in this manner it can be stored unrefrigerated essentially forever.

PK


Yeah, a restaurant I worked at several years ago was renovating and found a couple buckets of preserved lemons I made in '99-'00...still good, apparently....pretty tangy by now I should think...

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 29th, 2009, 6:02 am 
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Gail R wrote:
Za'atar has a nice flavor to add to either couscous or make a paste with sesame oil and cook it up on pita with a little cheese for lunch.


I wouldn't use zaatar for couscous, though, as it is more of a staple than spice I find. One nice thing with it is the following. Have two little bowls, one with some olive oil, the other with zaatar. Cook some finely diced potatoes and eggs in a frying pan. Tear off some small pieces of pita. They should be large enough to hold some potato/egg mix. Put some potato/egg mix in the piece of pita and roll it. That should be more or less a size for two bites. Then dip the little roll first in the olive oil bowl, then in the zaatar bowl.

On the pita, labneh ('dehydrated' yougourt - easy to make overnight in the fridge) can be spreaded before adding the mix. Also, some tiny pieces of cheese can be added, such as m'challaché threaded cheese (but rinse it before to get some salt away).


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 29th, 2009, 9:06 am 
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I have to honest now...... I love za'atar pita I buy on Carling Ave but the use for tripping I was extrapolating from my use of Puliogare powder. http://www.eastwestbazaar.com/product_info.php?products_id=1138
I just take left over rice or couscous add it to oil heated spice in a frying pan and voila. Bet it would hide the taste of canned chicken too
Thought it would do as nicely, I have a recipie to make za'atar. I need one without MSG this year.
I'm going to try and make the yogart again.....was told the thick and creamy and not over dry is the trick.....

keep the ideas coming

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 30th, 2009, 6:04 am 
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As far as I can see I've never seen any zaatar with MSG, ever.
I'd have to go out of my way quite a lot to find some. I have no
idea what this Puliogare powder is.

zaatar is easy to make but it's so inexpensive to buy. And
there are so many kinds available. You can add to it by adding
more thyme or sumac, for instance. Or sesame seeds.

The easiest way/test to make labneh is simply by using two
plates, one large, one smaller. The large one is used to catch
humidity from the yougourt in the smaller plate. Use any regular
type of yougourt, not the no-fat types. Put some yougourt in the
small plate, put the small plate in the large plate. Cover the
small plate with scott towels(tm) so that it touches the yougourt.
Put in the frige overnight. Humidity will go through the scott
towel(tm) and drip in the larger plate thus making the yougourt
'dry'. And that's labneh.

The better way of doing it is by using cheesecloth in which the
yougourt is pressed and left in a colander/bowl in the fridge
overnight. We do it this way.


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 30th, 2009, 8:30 am 
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Location: Kanata, Ontario Canada
Puliogare powder is a tamarind based spice powder for left over rice....peanuts, sesame seeds and the suspect Indian spices...yummy, you can extra peanuts or even chickpeas and make a meal

So, how do you prepare yogart for tipping? that way?

I've got a big bag a Besan (lentil flour) in my cupboard.....
anyone get creative with it? (only used it for pakoras)

instant mashed, besan and egg powder....fry them up like fish cakes and serve them with za'atar?

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: April 30th, 2009, 3:24 pm 
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Don't overlook Quinoa ... some prefer it! They both take about the same time to cook. Quinoa is a complete protein, and is higher in fiber.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tnam ... e&dbid=142

Couscous is made from semolina wheat, so it basically IS pasta, no difference. If you can get it in the form of ground barley or pearled millet, I think this would be better. You can also give Kasha a try - a buckwheat version of the same (particularly in Jewish cuisine).

Fresh caught Trout and Quinoa ... a great combination!


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: May 1st, 2009, 5:36 am 
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Kasha is quite good, although on the dry side of things. I prepare it by mixing an egg in it and then heating it up until the egg is dry, and only then ading water. You can mix some noodles with it.

Buckwheat is great in general. Although not a complete protein. I think only quinoa is a complete protein, or so it is said. Every other grain has to be combined with a bean. But then again, one does not need proteins at each meal.


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: May 5th, 2009, 5:07 am 
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Gail R wrote:
So, how do you prepare yogart for tipping? that way?


No. That was a tangent there. We regularly make yaourt at home and also labneh. Instead of buying labneh, we make it. I never thought of actually bringing it for camping. Labneh could perhaps keep a bit better, but it is still a creamy dairy product, volatile to temp changes.

One thing we do bring though - and keeping in the context of this thread - is what is known in bulk stores as 'tabouli mix'. This is essentially the same bulghur used for tabouleh, with some spices and dry parsley added. No msg or chemicals added (at least that's what the description at the bulk food store says). In the morning mix 1:1 parts with cold water (never use warm water for this purpose as the taste will not be as good) and put it in one of those popular plastic containers equipped with a gasket and four locking tabs. Shouldn't leak. By noon the bulghur is ready for lunch. Tastes good with some cucumbers.


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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: May 5th, 2009, 8:31 am 
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Ed, I've tied the quinoa and it's good. Found it takes a little longer to cook?
did the Kasha and some buckwheat noodles...... I've been ordered not to do that again....seldom do i get outvoted that badly

Cas, I did the bulk barn thing on your recomend for the couscous and picked up some Isreli Couscous (it looks like it will be good, will experiment tonight) and a couple blends that thye have
Golden Jewel blend: IS couscous, enriched spinch macaroni, dried red bell pepper, split baby garbanzo beans and quinoa

Jade blend: Bamboo rice, wheat berries, basmati rice, green lentils, split baby grabanzo, Daikon radish seeds

For my taboli I use the Casbah brand, it has refired bean mix, hummus, and varios pilaf dried offernings

think I'll try the Jade blend with Shan Dal Curry powder and see how it goes...basmati yummmmmm


I'm sure you could make our own mixes but

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 Post subject: Re: Israeli couscous
PostPosted: May 6th, 2009, 10:31 pm 
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Couscous..whats with Midwestern Southerners that they wont touch the stuff?

I made a really good salad but when someone pointed out it was couscous it might have well been made from poison ivy.


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