I used Israeli Couscous from Trader Joe’s in this recipe. Isreali Couscous is also called pearl couscous or maftoul. It is larger than traditional couscous, pasta-like pearls made from wheat flour. This is ready in less than 30 minutes in the pressure cooker. As we are cooking in under pressure, I also reduced the amount of water added to cook it to a 1:1 ratio. You can also replace and use broth for cooking. I used the whole packet, which was about 1 3/4 cups. It readily serves 3-4.
How to make Instant Pot Isreali Couscous Pilaf?
I followed a procedure similar to rice pulao but reduced the spices used. Start with heating the instant pot in sauté mode, and add the bay leaves and onions. Saute for a couple of minutes, and add the veggies of your choice. I added red bell peppers and grated carrots. Add the couscous and water/broth. Change the instant pot setting to Manual or Pressure Cook mode at high pressure. Set it to just 2 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, do 10 minutes of NPR, which means release the pressure manually after 10 minutes of beeping. If you are using another brand of couscous, I suggest adjusting the cooking time to one-half of the recommended time on the package. Vegetable Couscous is ready. Garnish with cilantro or parsley, and enjoy it. Check out other instant pot side dishes:
Quinoa with veggies Bulgur or Dalia Pulao Rice Pulao Moong Dal Khichdi
