Instructions: Vegetarian Times this month had a recipe for making couscous the "Middle Eastern" way, that it said produced very different results. The upside, very light, very fluffy couscous with no lumps. The downside, a little time-consuming. I had to alter the recipe slightly to accomodate my Black and Decker steamer, but the magazine was right. It came out so much better that I have now spoiled myself and will from now on have to take the time to do it this way!

1. Put 1 cup of couscous in a large bowl, add 3 cups of water, stir with finger and drain excess water. Dump on a cookie sheet and spread around evenly. The couscous will be very wet. Let sit for 10 minutes (grains will soak up water and expand.

2. Using your fingers, stir the couscous well, removing all lumps and lifting it from the bottom of the pan. Place in steamer bowl that you would use to steam rice. Steam for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from steamer and again smooth onto cookie sheet. Disolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water (you can also use veggie broth here for extra flavor) and sprinkle on couscous, stirring in with fingers. Let sit 10 minutes.

4. Stir couscous with fingers, removing any lumps and loosening couscous from the bottom of the pan. Move the couscous again to the steamer and steam 20 minutes.

Serve and enjoy a lighter, fluffier couscous than you have ever cooked before.

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