Jack Fruit, Broccoli Cous-Cous
This recipe of large cous cous with jack fruit, broccoli and apricots is a nice combination of many flavors! It looks like a lot of work, but it really isn't!
I have been experimenting a lot with jackfruit recently after some delicious jackfruit tacos at the Google cafe. It has a texture somewhat reminiscent of meat and takes on flavors really well. One experiment recently was a homemade BBQ sauce with the jackfruit on a bun like a sloppy joe. It was wonderful.
When you buy jackfruit, make sure you get green jackfruit packed in water. The green jackfruit is not sweet at all and brine would make it saltier. I like having control over the seasoning.
Normally I cook just by sight, feel, and mood, but this time I tried to actually write amounts. I also am not great at writing about food, or taking pictures of it. Oh well, at least it tastes good. I will work on my writing.
Serves 6.
2 cups Lebanese (or Israeli) cous cous
2 cups boiling water
4 cups water
2 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs turmeric
30 ozs chick peas
17 oz green jackfruit (should have come in water rather than brine), hand shredded
6 cloves garlic
1 and a half cups chopped walnuts
handful fresh mint
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 largish broccoli, chopped
1 cup white wine
1/8 cup ground sumac
Toast the cous cous and cumin seeds in a dry cast-iron skillet until they darkens a few shades. Then add boiling water and turmeric and let sit for 5 minutes until all water is absorbed. Add 2 more cups of water and heat at medium until all water absorbed, stirring occasionally. Then 2 more cups water,, heated at medium until all water absorbed, once again stirring. Then turn off heat.
In another cast iron skillet, add olive oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. Add the walnuts until they darken slightly. Add the jackfruit, apricot, chickpeas, and garlic and let cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the mint, scallions, broccoli, sumac and wine and cook covered until until the broccoli is the desired texture. We like our broccoli just on the border of tender and crunchy.
Serve with sumac in a shaker and red pepper flakes so people can add to taste.
I have been experimenting a lot with jackfruit recently after some delicious jackfruit tacos at the Google cafe. It has a texture somewhat reminiscent of meat and takes on flavors really well. One experiment recently was a homemade BBQ sauce with the jackfruit on a bun like a sloppy joe. It was wonderful.
When you buy jackfruit, make sure you get green jackfruit packed in water. The green jackfruit is not sweet at all and brine would make it saltier. I like having control over the seasoning.
Normally I cook just by sight, feel, and mood, but this time I tried to actually write amounts. I also am not great at writing about food, or taking pictures of it. Oh well, at least it tastes good. I will work on my writing.
Serves 6.
2 cups Lebanese (or Israeli) cous cous
2 cups boiling water
4 cups water
2 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs turmeric
30 ozs chick peas
17 oz green jackfruit (should have come in water rather than brine), hand shredded
6 cloves garlic
1 and a half cups chopped walnuts
handful fresh mint
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 bunches scallions, chopped
1 largish broccoli, chopped
1 cup white wine
1/8 cup ground sumac
Toast the cous cous and cumin seeds in a dry cast-iron skillet until they darkens a few shades. Then add boiling water and turmeric and let sit for 5 minutes until all water is absorbed. Add 2 more cups of water and heat at medium until all water absorbed, stirring occasionally. Then 2 more cups water,, heated at medium until all water absorbed, once again stirring. Then turn off heat.
In another cast iron skillet, add olive oil and bring the pan to a medium heat. Add the walnuts until they darken slightly. Add the jackfruit, apricot, chickpeas, and garlic and let cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the mint, scallions, broccoli, sumac and wine and cook covered until until the broccoli is the desired texture. We like our broccoli just on the border of tender and crunchy.
Serve with sumac in a shaker and red pepper flakes so people can add to taste.
