This quick and easy recipe comes from Elizabeth Schneider’s Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Recipe. Ms. Schneider offers 2 ideas, in one, corn kernels are cooked a minute before adding the couscous and butter and pea shoots. Here is the other variation, with an Oriental twist provided by the sesame oil.
Pea Shoots
In any case, be sure to trim the heavy base from each pea shoot as necessary. “Tough tendrils will not be transformed by cooking.” But couscous can be ready to eat in 15 minutes.
Couscous with Pea Shoots
3 cups lightly packed pea shoots
1 ¼ cups water
½ teaspoon Real Salt
1 cup whole wheat couscous (or regular couscous)
¼ to ½ teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Bring water to boil with salt. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the couscous and pea shoots. Cover. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, adding in the oil and lemon juice. Serve warm.
Makes 4 side dish servings.
Muffin Talk 