Had lunch at a friend’s home where she served lentil ragout with pappardelle, accompanied by fresh salad, crusty bread, and dips from other friends, while I brought cake. She gave me uncooked du puy from her large packet, which I had in my pantry for 6 months. I found a recipe that uses du puy, couscous, and canned chickpeas with tabbouleh, glad to use the canned chickpeas despite some rusty stains on the can.

“Tabbouleh is a nutrient-dense Levantine salad made from chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, and bulgur wheat, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. It’s rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, promoting digestion, heart health, and immunity. The salad is low in calories (130–180 per cup), making it a healthy choice for weight loss, while mint aids digestion.”

“Dupuy Lentils, also known as Le Puy or Doupoui, are gourmet French lentils now also cultivated in Australia and North America. They are dark with a speckled appearance, retain their shape when cooked, and have a stronger, peppery flavour compared to other lentils, requiring slightly longer cooking time.”

“Pearl couscous, a toasted pasta made from semolina flour, is larger than Moroccan couscous, providing a chewy texture and nutty flavour. It cooks in 10–15 minutes, is high in protein, and is a great addition to vegetarian diets. It contains essential micronutrients like selenium, B vitamins, and iron, as well as dietary fiber that promotes gut health. It is naturally fat-free with no saturated fat or cholesterol.”

My experimenting making du puy, couscous, and canned chickpeas with tabbouleh was successful. Adding to instant Peking duck noodles for something different. It was comforting, and delicious. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

The grains & legumes

50 g du puy (lentils)
150-200 ml vegetable stock (for dry du puy)
a pinch of salt
a bay leaf
a smash garlic clove, skin removed
45 g pearl couscous
80-85 ml vegetable stock (for the couscous)
1 Tsp oil
a pinch of salt
200 g canned chickpeas
enough water to cover, boil and simmer for tenderness

The “Tabbouleh” Base

45 g fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped (stems removed)
6 g fresh mint leaves, fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
5 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (stems removed)
4 g Cilantro (Coriander), finely chopped (stems removed)
salt, help draw out a tiny bit of moisture

The Dressing

1/8 c olive oil, extra-virgin
Juice of 1 lemon, about 2 Tbs
1 Tsp minced garlic
salt
cracked black pepper
1/8 Tsp sumac powder (OPT)

Instant Peking duck noodles

1 hard paper bowl of instant Peking duck noodles
water

Method

Du puy

Wash 50 g du puy in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water for 20 seconds, removing any debris. Place du puy in a small saucepan with 150 ml of water. Then add a pinch of salt, a bay leaf, or a smashed garlic clove for extra flavour. Bring the saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it boil for 30 seconds.

Turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 20-25 minutes. Start tasting around 20 minutes. They should be soft enough to bite but still hold their shape and have a slightly firm center. Once tender, drain any remaining liquid and rinse with cold water; about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Pearl couscous

Heat 1 Tsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add pearl couscous and toast for 1 minute until lightly golden brown. Add 80ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a tight lid, and let it simmer for 10 to 14 minutes (until all the liquid is absorbed and the pearls are tender). Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 3 to 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.

Chickpeas

Empty the 200g of chickpeas into a colander and rinse them under cool running water for about 10 seconds. Place the chickpeas in a pot and add enough water to cover them completely. Bring the water to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.

Once they have simmered to your preferred tenderness, pour out the hot water and drain them well before using them in Tabbouleh.

Tabbouleh

Wash all herbs thoroughly, then spin them in a salad spinner and pat them dry with a paper towel. Wet herbs will clump, bruise, and turn into mush. Tossing the dry, prepared herbs with a pinch of salt before processing can help draw out a tiny bit of moisture and keep them from sticking to the bowl.

If your food processor has a mini-prep attachment, use it. Small bowls are much better suited for chopping herbs than large, wide food processor bowls. Never hold down the continuous “On” button. Instead, use short, rapid 1-to-2 second pulses. Stop after every 2-3 pulses, open the lid, and use a spatula to scrape the herbs down from the sides to the center.

Note:

The safest alternative: If you only need a small amount of herbs, using a sharp chef’s knife on a cutting board is generally faster and gives you a much cleaner, fluffier chop without the risk of over-processing.

Make the Dressing

In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and sumac powder if you are using.

Toss the salad

In a large bowl, combine the cooled couscous, du puy, chickpeas, and all the chopped herbs.

Dress and serve

Pour the lemon-olive oil dressing over the mixture and toss well to combine. For the best flavour, let the salad sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the herbs and grains to absorb the dressing.

Cook instant Peking duck noodles

Put on kettle. Open the bowl packaging. Remove the top foil. Bring out the noodles and all the condiments. Place the noodles and the condiments into the bowl. Once, hot water is boiled. Pour it into the bowl with the prepared noodles and condiments.

Place into microwave, microwave for 5-7 minutes until noodles are cooked. Carefully bring out of microwave. Now spoon enough of du puy couscous chickpeas tabbouleh. Place in the centre of the noodles soup. Enjoy with a cup of tea!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2025/05/26/lentil-tabbouleh-peking-duck-noodles/

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