Monday

fast food

all of the sudden the mint growing in a box on our patio is looking extra green and healthy. i never think of using mint in savory dishes and tend to just make a big batch of mojitos when i have too much. this is a quick and easy recipe that's actually healthy and makes use of a little mint too! if you can't find sumac in the spice section of your local market, you can always order it from penzy but definitely don't leave it out! one of my first encounters with this spice was when i styled this recipe for a bon appetit shoot. it adds a wonderful fresh lemony flavor to many middle eastern dishes and is definitely worth adding to your spice collection.

Couscous with Minted Yogurt

1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
2 tbs mint, chopped plus leaves for garnish
1 cup whole wheat couscous
3 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1 tsp sumac
2 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
in a small bowl, combine yogurt, 1 tbs lemon juice and chopped mint. mix well and set aside. bring 1 cup water to a boil with a pinch of salt. remove from heat and add couscous. stir well, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. meanwhile, steam carrots and zucchini until tender. uncover couscous and fluff with a fork. in a mixing bowl, combine couscous with steamed vegetables, beans, sumac, olive oil, 1 tbs lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. serve with minted yogurt and garnish with a few mint leaves. enjoy!

7 comments:

Lickedspoon said...

This looks delicious - I love mint in savoury dishes too. I live in London, UK, in an area dotted with Turkish greengrocers, so sumac is easy for me to find - I'll definitely give this a try.

Anonymous said...

I am allergic to sumac. ;_; Is there anything at all that can be substituted for it?

Leciawp said...

This looks delicious!

the purcells said...

sorry to hear you are allergic to sumac! maybe try a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest or an extra squeeze of juice instead.

Anonymous said...

Lovely. I just bought my own yogurt marker--and I'll try this first up.

Ash said...

Funny! That Bon Appetite issue was my turning point for sumac LOVE as well ;)
Great idea kids!

Anonymous said...

Lots of great uses for mint. I use it in my cacciatore sauce, in lots of Thai dishes, including Larb, which my daughter loves, and so many more things. The insanity with which mints take over one's garden forced me to expand my repertoire. I'd never plant it directly into the soil in future, only in pots.. plus once the skunks discovered it, it was all I could do to keep them from trashing the rest of my garden.