This delicious rice dish is appropriate with any curry or condiment, great for picnics and barbecues, can be eaten hot or cold. You can use any vegetables that are in season.
The recipe is adapted from Curry by DK.
Ingredients:
2 x 280 g packs ready to eat (microwaveable) Basmati rice
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
1 tsp garlic cloves, crushed
225 g tomatoes
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cinnamon sticks
4 black cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
4 star anise
2 bay leaves
250 ml plain Greek-style yogurt
250 g peeled potatoes
150 g fresh or frozen peas
150 g carrots, peeled and diced (or cut into matchsticks if preferred)
finely chopped coriander leaves
fried brown onions to garnish (optional)
season to taste
oil for frying
Method.
Dice the potatoes and finely chop the tomatoes.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown.
Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Then stir in the tomatoes, all the spices, the bay leaves, some salt and yogurt.
Cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes, fresh peas and carrots with 125 ml water and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Spread half the rice over the bottom of a large saucepan (don't heat the rice before that).
Put the half of the cooked vegetables on this layer of rice and sprinkle with the chopped coriander. Repeat with the second half of the rice and vegetables.
Dampen a clean, thick kitchen cloth with water and cover the saucepan. Put the lid tightly on the cloth and set the saucepan on a very low heat. (You can place the saucepan in a thick frying pan to further reduce the heat). Cook like this for about 15-20 minutes.
Mix the rice gently with the vegetables, then spoon into a large flat dish. Garnish with some fresh coriander leaves and fried brown onions, if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
