Five Night Kitchen

One-pot chickpea couscous

Step 1 of 5

Cut 300g zucchini into 1cm cubes, 150g carrots into 5mm dice and 100g onions into 5mm dice. Heat 20ml olive oil in a broad pot over medium heat and cook the vegetables for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until carrot pieces are tender. Add a splash of processing water and cover for 2 minutes if carrot stays firm.

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2 servings · 15 min active (base recipe) · 35 min planned finish · stove · Covered grain pots

Finely cut vegetables soften on the stove before couscous hydrates off the heat in the same pot.

Ingredients

  • Couscous (dry)160g
  • Chickpeas (drained)240g
  • Zucchini (raw)300g
  • Carrots (raw)150g
  • Onions (raw)100g
  • Olive oil (raw)20ml
  • Lemon juice (raw)20ml
  • Salt (dry)3g
  • Black pepper (dry)1g
  • Recipe water (raw)200ml

Method

  1. Cut 300g zucchini into 1cm cubes, 150g carrots into 5mm dice and 100g onions into 5mm dice. Heat 20ml olive oil in a broad pot over medium heat and cook the vegetables for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until carrot pieces are tender. Add a splash of processing water and cover for 2 minutes if carrot stays firm.
  2. Add 240g chickpeas, 200ml recipe water, 3g salt and 1g black pepper. Bring to a simmer for 3–5 minutes until the chickpeas are steaming. Check the couscous packet liquid ratio and record any change to the measured water.
  3. Stir in 160g couscous, cover and remove the pot from the heat for 5 minutes. If a grain is still dry in the centre, sprinkle over a little boiling processing water and cover for 2 minutes more.
  4. Fluff with a fork, stir in 20ml lemon juice and serve. Loosen the grains gently so the vegetables remain in pieces.
  5. The displayed quantities already match your selected servings. For 1 or 2 servings, use a smaller pan and check early; keep the stated cut sizes. For 4 servings use a broad pan or uncrowded trays; for 8 split every ingredient evenly into two 4-serving batches (more if the pan or pot capacity requires it). Keep pans below 80% full and vegetables in one layer when browning. Repeat the cooking and doneness checks for each batch; elapsed time increases for sequential batches. Serve promptly. Cool any extra cooked food in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 32°C. Keep the fridge at 4°C or below. Reheat cooked leftovers evenly to 74°C, checking several places with a food thermometer. Keep raw garnishes and cold yogurt or tahini sauces separate and use them cold within their label limits.

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