For my birthday, I received the original (affiliate link) and the quick version (affiliate link) of Rukmini Iyer's cookbooks, The Roasting Tin. I adore everything about them, from the delectable-looking cuisine to the kind and approachable prose, but I adore the idea the most. Take a moment to prepare some items, toss them in the oven, and then go about your business while dinner is being prepared by the oven.
I'll just add that the recipes in the excellent Dishoom cookbook are fantastic but demanding because I've recently been cooking my way through it. The cookbooks from Roasting Tin provide a nice change of pace. The first dish I cooked was "Chilli Peanut Beef with Red Peppers, Sweetcorn, and Spring Onion" from The Quick Roasting Tin. While the vegetables and peanut dressing were delicious, the fine rump steak I'd purchased went to shoe leather in the oven. I tried a second recipe for "Chickpea, Halloumi and Red Onion Salad with Coriander and Giant Couscous" despite my nerves. I had high hopes for how good this dish would come out, and it did not disappoint. Halloumi with a paprika flavor, juicy red onions, and couscous that is just the right amount of doneness. The book has revived all faith in it.
The portions specified by Rukmini Iyer are perfect, and they will generously serve three people. However, on occasion, I up the amount of huge couscous from 200g to 300g (300g being the size of most packets), and I add additional stock (600ml instead of 400ml). This way, it yields about five portions, which is perfect for us as we don't mind eating leftovers for many days. No matter how much couscous I use, I always add additional lemon juice and frozen peas.
The food should be lightly roasted, which it will be if you roast it for the recommended 30 minutes, but I prefer my halloumi with a little more color, so I roast it for 40 minutes, and it turns out perfectly. The couscous retains some bite as the halloumi cooks golden brown. This dish is a true keeper and fulfills all of the book's claims. We devoured it while awestruck by the flavors and textures that were produced with less than 10 minutes of preparation.
NOTES
I use a roasting pan that measures around 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12") and can hold 200–300 g of couscous without any problems.
This recipe is for a "Make Ahead Lunchbox," but I really enjoy it for dinner. Halloumi from the refrigerator can be rough, so leftovers are best enjoyed at room temperature.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbspolive oil
- (plus more to oil the tin)
- 200gwholewheat giant couscous
- (or 300g, see intro)
- 400mlvegetable stock
- (or 600ml, see intro)
- 250ghalloumi, cubed
- 400g tin ofchickpeas
- 1red onion, sliced
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 100gfrozen peas
- (optional)
- 100gfresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 15gfresh coriander, chopped
- 1 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- juice from half a lemon
- (or a whole lemon)
- salt and pepper
METHOD
- Set the oven's temperature to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Add 200g of large wholewheat couscous and 400ml of vegetable stock to a medium roasting pan, then drizzle a little olive oil into the corners to prevent the couscous from sticking.
- 250g of cubed halloumi, 400g of drained chickpeas, and 1 slice of red onion should be combined with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika in a big bowl. Include, then place in the oven for 40 minutes to cook.
- If using frozen peas (100g), drain after a few minutes in boiling water or defrost in the microwave.
- When the allotted roasting time has passed, take the baking dish out of the oven and stir in 100g of coarsely chopped spinach, 15g of chopped coriander, any optional peas, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and the juice of 12 a lemon (I typically use a whole lemon). Mix well, adjust the seasoning, and serve right away. Any leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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