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Middle-Eastern couscous rice with gram

Prep: 20 minutes (not including cooking time for gram)

Makes: 4 servings

200ml (1 cup) vegetable stock

2 red chillies

3 cloves garlic

½ tbsp roasted coriander, ground

½ tbsp roasted careway, ground salt to taste

200g couscous

Juice of 1 lemon or sweet lime

2tbsp olive oil

2 cups cooked gram (chickpeas)

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 medium cucumber, diced

11/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (or small ripe tomatoes, diced)

2tbsp each fresh mint. Basil and coriander leaves, chopped.

1. Bring the stock to boiling hot on a low-medium flame.

2. Grind together chillies and garlic with coriander, caraway and a teaspoon of salt.

3. Remove the stock fro heat. Put the couscous into a bowl and pour over the hot stock on the couscous.

4. Cover and leave for 5 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed.

5. Place the paste in a tight-lidded jar and shake together with olive oil and lemon juice.

6. Fluff up the couscous and mix in the gram, vegetables, herbs and paste. Stir well to combine, then season to taste and serve immediately.