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5 from 4 votes

Spicy Black Garlic Miso Israeli Couscous

This garlicky, sweet and nutty Israeli couscous with a hint of spiciness is simple to make can be made in less than 15 minutes. Fantastic as a side to any meat dishes, on top of salads or on its own!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: Asian, Mediterranean
Servings: 3 Servings
Calories: 167kcal
Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups water (add ¼ cup more, if you like a softer couscous)
  • 2 tablespoons miso paste
  • 1 cup israeli couscous (pearl couscous)
  • 1 ½ bulbs black garlic (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons)
  • 2 jalapenos (chopped, seeds in)
  • 4 shallots (sliced)
  • 2-4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • Optional Sambal oelek or sriracha to turn up the heat

Instructions

Preparation

  • Chop the jalapeno, seeds in. (When you cook the jalapeno the spicy tones down a bit)
  • Finely chop the garlic and black garlic. (You can smush the black garlic with a fork as well)
  • Slice the shallots

Making the Couscous

  • In a frying pan, toast the couscous on medium heat until golden brown. Watch this carefully and make sure you are moving it around every 30 seconds so they don't burn. When it is golden brown, turn off the heat and set it aside to cool
  • In a pot on medium heat combine the miso and water and bring it to a boil
  • Once the miso mixture has come to a boil, carefully add in the toasted couscous a little bit at a time. (The mixture may bubble violently when you're adding in the couscous)
  • Turn off the heat, and put a lid on the pot and put it aside to steam for 15 minutes
  • After 15 minutes, check to see if all the moisture has been absorbed into the couscous. If there is still liquid on the bottom, keep the lid on for another 1-2 minutes or until the couscous has absorbed all the stock. Use a fork and fluff up the couscous to separate the grains once it is done.

Putting it Together

  • In a frying pan, set the stove to medium heat and saute the jalapeno, shallots and black garlic for 3-5 minutes
  • Add in the regular garlic and fry until the onions and garlic and toasty and brown
  • Turn off the heat and add in the couscous and combine it with the ingredients
  • Enjoy! This is best enjoyed warm or at room temperature

Notes

  • Too much water and overcooked it to mush? It’s okay, when couscous cools down to room temperature it has less of a mushy consistency.
  • When you're adding the toasted couscous into the hot broth, be very careful. It will cause the broth to violently bubble. Make sure you have a big enough pot so it doesn’t overflow or put the couscous in a little at a time.
  • Garlic (the normal kind) burns quickly on high heat. To prevent this, add it in 1-2 minutes after you saute the rest of the ingredients.
  • Cooking jalapeno reduces the spicy heat from it – it almost becomes a mild spicy. To add a spicier kick to this dish, add some hot sauce after the dish is done.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 535mg | Sugar: 5g