Here’s a basic recipe for preparing couscous:

**Ingredients:**
– 1 cup couscous
– 1 1/4 cups water or vegetable broth
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
– Optional: Fresh herbs (such as parsley or cilantro) for garnish

**Instructions:**

1. **Boil Water or Broth:**
– In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups of water or vegetable broth to a boil.

2. **Add Olive Oil and Salt:**
– Once the liquid is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.

3. **Add Couscous:**
– Remove the saucepan from heat and add 1 cup of couscous to the boiling liquid. Quickly stir to combine and ensure that all the couscous is submerged in the liquid.

4. **Cover and Let it Steam:**
– Immediately cover the saucepan with a lid and let it sit off the heat for about 5 minutes. This allows the couscous to steam and absorb the liquid.

5. **Fluff with a Fork:**
– After 5 minutes, uncover the saucepan and fluff the couscous with a fork. This helps separate the grains and prevents clumping.

6. **Optional: Garnish with Fresh Herbs:**
– If desired, add freshly chopped herbs like parsley or cilantro for extra flavor and freshness. Toss the couscous gently to distribute the herbs.

7. **Serve:**
– Couscous is now ready to be served as a side dish or as a base for other dishes. It pairs well with roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or as a component of salads.

**Tips:**
– You can customize the flavor of couscous by using vegetable broth instead of water for cooking.
– Experiment with additional seasonings like ground black pepper, cumin, or lemon zest for extra flavor.
– For added texture, consider mixing in toasted nuts, dried fruits, or sautéed vegetables.

This basic couscous recipe is versatile and can be adapted to suit your preferences and complement a variety of dishes.