Couscous Thai-style with chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g couscous
• 500 g chicken, breast or fillet
• 400 g mixed vegetables, e.g. pak choi, carrots, red peppers
• 1 large onion(s), red
• 1 handful of raisins or cranberries, dried
• 1 large red chili pepper(s)
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• some mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp sautéed harissa, no sambal oelek as it is too salty.
• 10 basil leaves
• 5 dl water, hot
• 1 pinch(s) of salt and pepper
• Spice(s) (curry, turmeric, cumin)
• some soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 4 tbsp olive oil, cold squeezed
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp, stripped ginger, fresh

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

simple, fresh

Pour the hot water over the couscous and add the salt, turmeric, and curry powder. Stir and let it stand until all the water is absorbed. This takes about 30 minutes. The mis en place (preparing all the ingredients) is the key here. Thinly slice the garlic and finely chop the ginger and chili peppers. Remove the outer skin from the lemongrass (tap it lightly with a flat paring knife to release the essential oils) and chop very finely. Cut the basil and peppermint into strips. Also cut the vegetables into strips and slices. Cut the chicken into slices about 2 cm thick, season with salt and pepper, and dust with flour. Heat olive oil and a little sesame oil in a large frying pan and sear the meat, add a little harissa, and drizzle with the fish sauce. Then transfer the meat to a bowl. In the same pan, fry the ginger, chili, garlic, onions, carrots and peppers until hot. Finally, add the pak choi and deglaze with about 1/2 dl soy sauce and a dash of water. Return the meat to the pan. Crumble the couscous with your hands and add it to the pan. Sauté briefly, stirring constantly (ideally with two ladles). I always get all the bowls and dishes ready for all the ingredients beforehand, because Thai cooking is very quick and the individual ingredients, such as vegetables and herbs, have a bite and therefore still contain lots of vitamins.