Instant Couscous

(note: I submitted this to nomoreramen earlier today, but I thought it would suit this blog too)

I often struggle to remember/have energy to prepare lunch. My solution was buying these packets of instant couscous:

However! They were costing me about £4/week, so I decided to make my own.

This recipe makes a huge batch of dried couscous, and you can rehydrate a portion at a time when you need it.

Ingredients:

1kg bag of dried vegetables (you can buy them online)

2kg dried couscous

½ jar dried garlic granules

5 spoons of bouillon powder / 5 crumbled stock cubes

The seasoning can be adjusted according to taste - try using other herbs and spices. Smoked paprika is good!

How to make the couscous mix:

Mix all the ingredients together, then transfer to a container for storage - I used a giant saucepan to mix them in and then transferred the mix into tupperware containers.

There’s a lot of mixture, so if your arms tire easily, it’s best to do this on a day when you have plenty of spoons. Or reduce the quantities so it needs less energy to mix.

How to prepare the couscous:

When you’re ready to eat, scoop half a cup of couscous mix into a mug or bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover the couscous completely. Wait a few minutes for the water to be absorbed.

BOOM. Done.

Downside: it is quite a big financial outlay when you make a batch

Upside: once you’ve made a batch, it’ll last a long time

I made my current batch in April, I’m about half-way through now, and it cost just over £15 (including P&P for the dried vegetables). It would have cost me about £28 in couscous packets for the same length of time, and I’ve still got loads left!