Just-Add-Water Curried Couscous with Chickpeas, Golden Raisins and Lemon
Toast sliced almonds in a dry pot on a camp stove for 2 to 3 minutes, then boil 2 cups of water. Pour the water over couscous mixed with curry powder, cumin, raisins and olive oil, cover for 8 minutes, then fluff and fold in chickpeas, cucumber and lemon. Start to finish takes about 25 minutes and one burner.
This is a lunch you mostly build before the water boils. The couscous cooks by steeping, so there is no simmering and no scorched pot. Curry, cumin and sweet raisins make it taste like more than a pantry bowl.
It holds up well in a bag, and the chickpeas make it filling enough for a hike afternoon. Serve it warm, or let it cool and eat it as a room-temperature salad at the trailhead.
Just-Add-Water Curried Couscous with Chickpeas, Golden Raisins and Lemon
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium flame to toast, high flame to boil
- Pack weight
- 2.5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- No cooler needed
- One burner
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Shelf-stable
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- Camp stove with fuel
- 2-quart pot
- Large heatproof bowl with a plate or lid
- Fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife and small cutting board
- Can opener
- Bowls and spoons
Steps
-
Toast the almonds
Set a dry 2-quart pot over medium heat. Add the almonds and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until they smell nutty and turn light gold. Tip them into a cup and set aside.
-
Mix the dry base
In a large heatproof bowl, stir together the couscous, curry powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried onion, bouillon powder, salt and raisins.
-
Boil the water
Pour 2 cups of water into the same pot and bring it to a full boil over high heat. This takes about 5 minutes on a camp stove.
-
Pour and cover
Stir 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the dry mix. Carefully pour in the boiling water, stir once, and cover the bowl tightly with a plate or lid.
-
Steep the couscous
Leave it alone for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse the chickpeas, dice the cucumber, and zest and juice the lemon.
-
Fluff and fold
Rake the couscous with a fork to break up clumps. Fold in the chickpeas, cucumber, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
-
Taste and finish
Season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if it needs brightness. Top with the almonds and fresh herbs and serve warm.
Trail Notes
Mix the couscous, spices, dried onion, bouillon, salt and raisins in a zip bag at home. At camp, dump the bag into the bowl and add water.
Every ingredient is shelf-stable except the cucumber and herbs, and the lemon keeps for days. Skip the cucumber and herbs if you have no cooler. Eat the cooked couscous within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F.
Use a pouch of cooked lentils for the chickpeas. Add crumbled feta if you want it creamy and aren't cooking vegan. Pack dried apricots instead of raisins if you prefer.
Pack out the empty can, strained bits and any leftovers. Strain dishwater and scatter it widely at least 200 feet from water, campsites and trails.
Campers ask
Can you make couscous without a stove?
Yes, but it is slower and a bit denser. Cover the couscous with an equal amount of cold water and let it soak 20 to 30 minutes, then fluff and season.
What is the ratio of water to couscous for camping?
Use 1 cup of boiling water for every 1 cup of dry couscous. Add a little oil to keep the grains from clumping.
How long do leftovers last at camp?
Keep leftovers in a sealed container in a cooler at 40°F or below and eat them within a day. Without a cooler, eat the couscous within 2 hours of cooking.
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