Charred Corn & Pearl Couscous Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup pearl couscous, uncooked
2 corn cobs, kernels sliced off
Extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1x400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill leaves, roughly chopped
100g feta, crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Method:
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pearl couscous and cook according to the package instructions, until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped corn and season with cumin, paprika, juice of ½ lime, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until charred and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the chickpeas. Cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through, scraping up any spices left in the pan from the corn.
In a large bowl, combine the couscous, corn, chickpeas, spring onions, cucumber, coriander, mint, feta and almonds.
Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine and serve.
Tips + Tricks:
Prep Ahead: This salad is great for meal prep! Assemble the ingredients ahead of time, but wait to add the fresh herbs and lime juice until just before serving.
Corn Substitution: If fresh corn isn’t available, substitute with frozen or canned corn. No need to thaw frozen corn beforehand—just toss it straight into the hot pan.
Gluten-Free Option: Easily make this recipe gluten-free by replacing the pearl couscous with short-grain brown rice or quinoa.
Nut-Free Version: For a nut-free alternative, swap the almonds with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.