Vegan pearl couscous with pumpkin, fennel, orange and pecan nuts.

What is pearl couscous actually, and what is the difference with couscous?

Pearl couscous is rounder and thicker than the couscous but they are both made of coarsely ground groats of durum wheat. For the pearl couscous, this is first ground into flour, after which balls are made that are steamed and dried. Pearl couscous is therefore a bit more like pasta.

While couscous only needs to well in boiling water, pearl couscous is really boiled. Furthermore, they are both fairly neutral in taste.

Parelcouscous recept, pearlcouscous recipe, what is pearlcouscous ?

Couscous is widely used in Moroccan and North African dishes while pearl couscous is used in many dishes in the Middle East such as for example in Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Jerusalem Pearl couscous is also called ptitim, Israeli couscous or Jerusalem couscous.

The difference between the two is the cooking time and the fact that pearl couscous is slightly stickier. Furthermore, they are both fairly neutral in taste and versatile to use.

This vegan recipe of pearl couscous is sufficient for 3 to 4 people.

Ingredients:

    • 150 grams pearl couscous
      • 1 small pumpkin
      •  
      • 3 oranges
        •  
        • 1 fennel tuber
          • 1/2 cup pecan nuts
          •  
          • 1 teaspoon cardamom seed
            •  
            • 1/2 teaspoon dried chili peppers
              •  
              • salt
                •  
                • 3 tablespoons olive oil
                  •  
                  • 1 tablespoon ghee

                  Method:

                  • Prick some holes in the pumpkin with a cocktail stick and cook it in the oven at 175 degrees for 45 minutes. Then let cool until it is manageable.
                  • Cut the fennel into thin slices and cook it over a low heat in the frying pan with the ghee.
                  • Peel the oranges so that the peel and white are completely off. Cut out the wedges and put in a large bowl. From also the moisture and do this also in the bowl.
                  • Cook the pearl couscous with a good pinch of salt until done in 8 to 10 minutes according to the package.
                  • Coarsely chop the pecans into pieces.
                  • Grind the cardamom seeds and the chili finely.
                  • Remove the flesh from the pumpkin and then mix all the ingredients (pearl couscous, pumpkin, fennel, orange, olive oil, nuts and spices) together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and possibly a pinch of salt to taste.

                  The pecan nuts in this dish can also be replaced by feta.

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