Vegetable Pilau Rice Food

EASY VEGETABLE PILAU RICE

Steps:

• Peel and dice the potatoes into 2cm chunks.
• Add the oil, mustard seeds, cloves and cinnamon sticks to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the spices begin to crackle, add the diced potatoes along with 1/2 cup boiling water.
• Cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, and allow the potatoes to steam for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, measure out the rice into a bowl and rinse it: cover with cold water and use your hand to 'stir' the rice until the water becomes opaque. Then drain this water away and repeat 1-2 more times. The final time, leave the rice in the water and allow it to soak.
• Once the potatoes are softened, add the frozen peas to the saucepan. Drain the rice and add to the pan along with 2 cups of boiling water.
• Add the spices: 1/4 tsp chilli powder, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 3/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine then turn the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Stir the rice occasionally to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan. When most of the water has gone, taste the rice. If it is still chewy, add a further 1/2 cup of boiling water and cook until the rice is soft.
• Serve the pilau rice with lemon wedges and fresh coriander. Enjoy!

VEGETABLE PILAU RICE

Steps:

• For the garam masala, put all the garam masala spices in a clean coffee grinder or other spice grinder and grind as finely as possible. Store in a tightly lidded jar, away from heat and sunlight. This makes about three tablespoons.
• For the pullao, wash the rice in several changes of water then drain. Put the rice in a bowl, cover with water and leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain again.
• Peel and finely grate the ginger.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan (with a tight-fitting lid) set over a medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the mustard seeds.
• As soon as they begin to pop - a matter of seconds - add the chilli, potato, carrot and green beans and stir.
• Add the turmeric and garam masala and stir for one minute.
• Add the ginger and saute, stirring, for another minute.
• Drain the rice and add it to the pan.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the rice very gently to mix it into the other ingredients and coat it with the oil and spices. Cook this way for two minutes.
• Add the 570ml/1 pint water and the salt and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a very tight-fitting lid (if you don't have a very tight-fitting lid then cover the pan with foil then a lid) then turn the heat to very low and cook for 25 minutes. After this time try a grain of rice to see if it's cooked - cook for a few more minutes if necessary.
• Once it's cooked you can leave it with the lid on and the heat turned off for up to half an hour before serving. Or serve at once on a serving plate.

SPICY VEGETABLE PILAU WITH CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Chop the garlic for the pilau and set aside. Finely grate the garlic for the raita and put in a bowl. Heat the oil for the pilau in a large open pan, and fry the onion and ginger for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the whole and ground spices, and cook for a few secs to release their aromas. Add the chilli, red pepper and freekeh, stir briefly, then tip in the stock and sultanas. Simmer for 15 mins until the freekeh is tender but still nutty, adding the chopped garlic for the final 2 mins. The stock should have reduced and absorbed into the freekeh now.
• Meanwhile, finish the raita by stirring the yogurt, cucumber and mint into the grated garlic.
• When the pilau is cooked, stir in the coriander and cashews, and serve with the raita.

SPICED VEGETABLE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In boiling water, cook carrots for 4 mins, tipping in onions for the last min of cooking. Drain and mix in a roasting tin with 4 tsp oil, the cumin and seasoning. Roast for 30 mins, while you cook the rice.
• Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in a large pan. Add cardamom and cinnamon for 30 secs, then add rice and toast for 1 min. Pour over stock and 100ml water, then simmer, covered, for 25-30 mins, until rice is tender and the water absorbed. Remove cinnamon and cardamom.
• Tip in lentils and fork through before topping with spinach. Put lid back on and cook over a low heat, stirring once, until spinach has wilted and lentils heated through. Fork through again before tipping the cumin roasted veg onto the top and sprinkling with almonds, if using.

VEGETABLE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Cook the onion, carrots, thyme, and salt, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice, stirring to coat; pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the green beans and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the beans are tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork.