Thai Curry Couscous

This week, I’ve been cookin’ a lot of Southeast Asian foods – I guess I wanted to revisit these flavors. Maybe I just needed a dramatic change from all of the All-American inspired things from last week.

One of the characteristics of Thai cuisine that I really love is how the complex layers of flavor just pile on top of each other harmoniously – you think some of the strong flavors would fight each other but they don’t. Thai curry pastes fall into that strong category. I’ve been incorporating them into side dishes because it’s such a simple way to give something that’s often plain or understated a new personality.

Today’s recipe post is a side dish with Thai yellow curry paste and Thai basil. The couscous absorbs a lot of the curry paste’s flavors during the cooking process that you end up with a spicy and herbaceous dish with a touch of subtle sweetness.

P.S. It makes a great Trashy Breakfast plate.

For 4 servings:

  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp. Thai yellow curry paste (DIY or buy)*
  • ¼ tsp. ground white pepper
  • 2 c. plain couscous
  • 3 c. seafood stock (DIY or buy)
  • 1/3 c. chiffonade of Thai basil, lightly packed

In a saucepan, heat vegetable oil. Add curry paste and white pepper – cook for 30 seconds. Stir in stock and bring mixture to a boil. Add couscous and remove pan from heat. Let it sit on low heat, covered, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the couscous with a fork. Garnish with Thai basil chiffonades before serving.

*Thai curry pastes are not interchangeable with Indian-style curry powders and curry bricks – the latter are primarily used for Japanese curries, a sweeter and more stew-like dish. Some brands do carry Indian curry pastes but they’re usually some sort of a masala mixed with a tomato puree and an oil – it’s essentially a cooking shortcut.


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