Quik Thinking

Since moving to Montreal 3 weeks ago, I have been cooking about twice a day. Based on my experiments, I have come up with a recipe for a delicious and nutritious meal that is both cheap and easy to prepare. Here it is.

Equipment:

• kettle (for boiling water, which can be done in a pot or microwave if you don't have a kettle)
• skillet and spatula
• pot
• wooden spoon
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• spice/coffee grinder (optional)

Raw materials:

• 1/2 cup cous-cous
• vegetable oil (e.g. olive, sunflower, canola, sesame)
• 2 carrots
• a handful of chives or 4-5 leeks
• 10-12 fingers okra
• 6-8 mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a few pitted black olives. [green may work but I haven't tried them]

Powdered spices (best made fresh in a grinder):

• cumin
• cilantro
• turmeric
• red chilli (go easy on this)
• fenugreek
• black pepper

Method:

1. Grind the spices if you have whole spices and a grinder.
2. Wash the veggies.
3. Pour some oil into the skillet and put it on a low flame.
4. Slice the carrots and add to pan.
5. Chop the chives/leeks into itty bitty pieces and add to pan.
6. Slice the okra and add to pan.
7. Add half the spices to pan and stir.
8. Chop mushrooms into quarters, add to pan and stir again.
9. Cover pan with lid.
10. Add a cup of water to the kettle and begin heating.
11. Check your email and return when the kettle screams.
12. Mix cous-cous with 1/2 cup boiling water, salt and remainder of spices in pot.
13. Stir with wooden spoon and cover with plate.
14. Turn flame off under skillet and stir contents.
15. You have time for one more quick email check but don't forget about the food!
16. When cous-cous seems to have absorbed all the water, ad a tablespoon of oil and fluff with fork.
17. Add contents of skillet to pot and stir.
18. Garnish with olives and serve. Serves one person with my appetite so probably good for two regular people.
19. Don't forget to wash your dishes!