The wonderfully fragant smell of onions and spices cooking at the beginning of this recipe will entice Bonfire Night revellers into the kitchen. It’s a good basic recipe using quick or easy-cook basmati rice. For meat eaters I often add cooked chicken and chorizo and for vegetarians crumbled feta, grilled halloumi cheese or extra roasted vegetables.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black onion seeds
- 400g quick or easy-cook basmati rice
- 400g diced pumpkin
- 800ml hot vegetable stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 125g thick Greek yogurt
- 100g radishes, sliced
- 100g roasted almonds, crushed
- small bunch fresh mint and coriander, coarsely chopped
- 1 chilli, seeded and finely sliced
Method
- Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-based pan (with tight-fitting lid). Add the onion, garlic, cumin, fennel and black onion seeds and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, add salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes, or until all the stock has been absorbed. (if you’re using regular rice then this may take up to 20-25 minutes cooking time). At this point add any meat or vegetarian extras, remove from the heat, re-cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
- Remove the lid and give the pilaf a gentle stir. Top with the yogurt, scatter with the radishes and almonds then sprinkle with the mint, coriander and chilli to serve.
Tip
Younger members of the family may not appreciate the fiery taste or heat of the chillies added at the end of this recipe. Serve them first, then add the chillies for more mature tastes to keep everyone happy.
