Golden Couscous with Apricots & Crispy Onions

Ingredients

500g couscous
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g dried apricot, chopped
3 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
about 500ml vegetable or sunflower oil
zest and juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
small bunch coriander, chopped
small handful mint, chopped, a few leaves reserved

Method

1. Boil a kettle. Tip the couscous into a large bowl, crumble in the stock cube, then add the turmeric, cinnamon and apricots, and season well. Pour over 500ml boiling water, give everything a quick stir, then cover with cling film and leave for 5 mins.
2. Put half the sliced onions in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and the sugar, pour over enough boiling water to cover and leave to steep for 10 mins. (This will remove some of the onions’ acidity and turn them a beautiful bright pink colour.)
3. Heat enough oil to come about 5cm up the side of a deep saucepan. Once hot, fry the remaining onions in batches for 1-2 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
4. Use a fork to fluff up the couscous. Drain the steeped onions and stir through the couscous with the lemon zest and juice, olive oil and herbs. Tip onto a serving platter or bowl and scatter with the crispy onions and mint leaves.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2013