Recipe: Coucous Stuffed Sweet Peppers/Watermelon Curry

how about a couscous salad with colorful, zesty veggies? you could season the couscous with curry or any other favorite combination of herbs and/or spices.or make some indian curried watermelon-very refreshing and very different. think of the foods from the mediterranean area-these are countries who have long featured foods that stand up to hot weather.

COUSCOUS STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS

This particular recipe is prepared Fez-style with seven vegetables and seven spices which considered lucky. Vary the vegetables according to the season; instead of the peas and tomatoes I use squash or pumpkin and cauliflower in the fall and winter.

4 sweet peppers

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, cut in brunoise
1 jalapeno chile, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3" cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp. ground)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon turmeric
Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups couscous
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1 20 ounce can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup currants or raisins

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup slivered almonds

salt to taste

Trim tops from sweet peppers to form caps, or, for smaller portions, halve lengthwise to form "boats". Remove cores and seeds. Invert on steamer rack over boiling water and steam for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Saut onions, carrots, jalapeno, herbs, and spices in butter until onion is translucent. Add 3 cups cold water and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, peas, garbanzos, and currants, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute seasonings. Sample and adjust seasonings, adding salt if necessary.

Before serving, stir in tomatoes and almonds. Spoon into pepper cups, garnishing with additional almonds or cilantro if desired.

Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature. These can also be rewarmed by grilling over medium coals for about 5 minutes.

WATERMELON CURRY (MATIRA CURRY)

This interesting side dish is a product of Rajasthan, where the summer temperatures often exceed 100 degrees. Watermelon was one of the few fruits in that region that could survive the hot, arid summers. Use the red chile powder if you like a hotter curry; use the paprika if you prefer something milder.

1/4 large watermelon
1 1/2 tsp. red chile powder OR paprika
Pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt to taste
2 TB ghee
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
2-3 tsp. lime or lemon juice
Sugar to taste (optional)

Cut up the watermelon and remove the seeds. Peel off the skin and chop flesh into 1-inch cubes. Take one cup of the melon and process to make juice. To the juice add the chile powder, turmeric, coriander, garlic, and salt.

Heat ghee in a large skillet and add the cumin seeds. Saut for 20 seconds and add the watermelon juice mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes so the spices cook completely and the liquid is reduced by a third. If using sugar, add it now, then add the lime or lemon juice and cook for another minute.

Add the chopped watermelon and cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, GENTLY tossing to coat with spice mixture.

Serve with warm, cold or at room temperature.