1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon curry powder

1½ cups couscous

1½ cups boiling water

¼ cup plain nonfat yogurt

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup diced carrots

½ cup minced fresh parsley

½ cup raisins

¼ cup blanched, sliced almonds

2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

¼ cup diced red onion

1½ teaspoons Sesame Salt

• In a small nonstick skillet, melt the butter until sizzling, then add the curry powder. Stir for several minutes, being careful not to burn the butter. Place the couscous in a medium-size bowl. Pour enough of the boiling water into the pan with the sautéed curry powder to mix it with the water and rinse out the pan. Pour that and the remaining boiling water over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

• Mix together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, turmeric, lemon zest, and pepper; pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well. Add the carrots, parsley, raisins, almonds, scallions, red onion, and sesame salt; mix well. Serve at room temperature.

Curry It Up

There's a big difference in taste between “raw” curry powder and that which has been toasted or sautéed. Sautéing curry powder boosts the flavors, releasing the natural aromatic oils in the spices. One alternative is to use the Curry Powder from the recipe, which consists of spices that are toasted before they're ground.