Couscous Salad

2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed 
2 garlic cloves, split, germ removed, and minced 
Salt 
1 tablespoon ground ginger 
1 teaspoon turmeric 
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
¼ teaspoon ground cumin 
1 10-ounce box quick-cooking couscous 
½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) 
1 small cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes 
1 carrot, trimmed, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced 
1 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas 
1 can (about 16 ounces) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry 
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, or as needed 
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, or as needed 
Freshly ground pepper 
¾ cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped 
½ cup toasted chopped almonds (optional) 


Bring the broth, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, the 
ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin to a boil in a medium saucepan. 
Whisk the broth just to make sure the spices have dissolved, then stir in the 
couscous and turn off the heat. 
Scatter the raisins over the couscous, cover the pan, and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork (if there are lumps, you may have to break them up with your fingers) and turn it into a large bowl. 
Stir in the vegetables, chickpeas, and lemon zest. 
Put the lemon juice, another teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small jar, cover, and shake to blend; or use a small bowl and a whisk. Pour over the couscous and toss well. 
Taste for salt, and season with pepper; set aside to cool. (The couscous can be lightly covered and left at room temperature for about 3 hours or covered tightly and refrigerated overnight;bring to room temperature before serving.) 
At serving time, taste again for seasoning—it's almost certain you'll need more 
salt, and you might want more lemon juice, zest, and olive oil too—and stir in the cilantro and toasted almonds, if you're using them. 
MAKES 6 SERVINGS