Recipes

Fragrant vegetable and cashew biriyani

[Tip]

Don't walk away from the rice as it boils - the pre-soaked grains cook quicker than you'd expect, so you need to ensure that it doesn't overcook

Ingredients:

500g basmati rice
2 large onions , halved and thinly sliced
4 tbsp oil
Thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, shredded
65g curry paste
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green cardamom pods
3 star anise
250g diced potatoes
1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets
250g yogurt
225g frozen peas
2 good pinches saffron
1/2 tsp rosewater
butter , for greasing
100g roasted, salted cashews nuts

To garnish:

2 onions , halved and very thinly sliced
3 tbsp oil
a handful of coriander leaves

Method:

Rinse the rice in several changes of water to remove excess starch, then put in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the onions in the oil for eight minutes until soft and starting to colour. Add the ginger, then cook for two minutes more. Stir in the curry paste followed by the whole spices, cook for one minute more, then tip in the potatoes and cauliflower. Pour in 300ml water, cover and boil for about five to seven minutes until the vegetable are just tender, but still have little resistance. Stir in the yogurt and peas with one tsp salt.

Mix the saffron, rosewater and three tbsp boiling water together and stir well. Drain the rice, tip into a pan of boiling salted water, then cook for five minutes until almost tender. Drain again. Get out a large ovenproof dish with a lid and butter the base. Tip the curry sauce into the base, scatter over the nuts, then spoon over the rice.

Drizzle over the rosewater mixture, then cover with foil followed by the lid. Can be chilled overnight until ready to cook. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the biryani in the oven for 45 minutes to one hour until thoroughly heated through.

To check it'sready, try a spoonful from the centre of the rice. For the garnish, slowly fry the onions in the oil until really golden and crisp (this can be done in advance). When the biryani is hot and ready to serve, gently toss through the onions and coriander.

Fresh tomato salad

TIP

Salt draws moisture from vegetables so don't
add it too early on,
otherwise the pickles, chutney mixtures and salads
will become too juicy.

Ingredients:

6 large ripened tomatoes
1 large red onion , finely chopped
2 handfuls of fresh coriander , finely chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method:  

Halve the tomatoes, remove the seeds, chop the flesh and place in a sieve over a bowl so the excess juices can drain away.

Put the onion and coriander into a bowl. Heat the oil and fry the cumin seeds for about 30 seconds then tip them into the bowl. Mix in the tomatoes, cover and chill.To serve, add some salt and serve.