Couscous with fresh dates, apple and paprika

Lately I've been turning my head-or rather my taste buds and cooking spoon-more and more towards asian and oriental cooking. It's still a 'new' area to me, but I'm making progress! Last week I already made some curry (which will soon be posted here)and tabbouleh, and I already have a few ideas to follow those up.... I find the two kitchens so different, both from eachother and from european, but they certainly have one or another thing in common: a huge load of spices and herbs (coriander!!!).

I love the typical couscous with meat, chickpeas and veggies, but I wanted to go into a different direction. Seeing as I still had some fresh dates (in season now!) from the oriental foodstore around the corner, a very sour apple I'd picked in the park the other day and a juicy paprika, I just went for it! The result was surprisingly different to my couscous 'memories', but in a very postive way...find out for yourself!

Ingredients (2 portions):

-1 cup couscous

-1 cup water

-3 Tbsp. olive oil

-3 fresh dates

-1 small sour apple/half a normal-sized one

-1/2 red paprika

-1 Tsp. paprika spice

-1 Tsp. curry spice

-1 Tsp. cumin spice

-salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Glaze couscous in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1 cup of boiling water and fold in until water is completley absorbed by couscous. Leave to swell for about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut fresh dates, apple and paprika into thin slices.

3. Add to couscous along with spices and remaining olive oil. Mix in properly.

Enjoy!