Rosy Roast Root Vegetables

A friend roasts a root vegetable mixture which includes beetroot, which we love, so I thought I would try it myself.  I had intended to adapt my usual recipe,  Roast Mixed Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar, which includes onions (preferably red ones) but then a link to this recipe appeared in my Inbox.

This recipe, Roast Root Vegetables, comes from the online newsletter Good to Know Recipes.  As the original says, the beetroot will ‘bleed’ and colour the other vegetables: it certainly makes this a pretty dish and for this reason I have re-named the recipe.  I tried adding Swede as well but felt it needed longer cooking, in fact I have increased the cooking times a little, however I did not find it necessary to parboil the parsnip providing it was cut to a similar size as the carrot and added at the same time.   All the root vegetables should be cut into similar sized pieces in order to cook evenly.  I particularly like the addition of fresh orange juice which gives a fruity sweetness to the vegetables, without making them too sugary.

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Rosy Roast Root Vegetables
(Serves 8)

500g/1lb 2ozs swede, peeled & cut into chunks
500g/1lb 2ozs raw beetroot, peeled & quartered
500g/1lb 2ozs carrots, peeled & cut into chunks
500g/1lb 2ozs parsnips, peeled & roughly chopped
6tbsp olive oil
500g/1lb 2ozs sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
250g /9oz leeks, roughly chopped & rinsed to remove any sand
1 orange, juiced – more if the orange is small
3tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Salt & black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

2.  Place the swede into a large roasting tin.  Add the olive oil, season and mix well.  Cover and roast in the oven for 10minutes.

3.  Add the beetroot, carrots and parsnips, stir well, replace cover and continue to roast for about 40 minutes.

4.  Add the sweet potatoes and leeks. Stir well and roast for a further 10 mins.  Remove the cover for a final 10 minutes.

5.  Check with a knife that each of the different vegetables are cooked through, giving them a little longer if required.

6.  Pour over the orange juice, stir in and return to the oven so that the orange is heated through.  Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

7.  Serve either with a roast meat for Sunday lunch, when pieces of potato could be combined and roasted with the other vegetables.  Alternatively, serve with rice or couscous, with or without meat, as a vegetarian dish.

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Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Mash

How about this lovely creamy mixture of caulflower and sweet potato as an easily made extra for Guy Fawkes Night?  (Not that we actually have a bonfire or fireworks at home any more, preferring to watch from upstairs!)  Perhaps it could also be adapted to make a warming post firework watching soup for what is usually a chilly night.  Actually I think it would be wonderful served as it is, eaten from cups with a sausage in the other hand: a healthy and unusual treat to go with the usual less healthy bonfire fare.  The hint of cumin lifts the two rather ordinary vegetables to the level of something a bit more special.  This dish is not just for Bonfire night, of course, and can be served at any time as a side dish at a main meal: we ate it with pork chops, which the sweetness of both vegetables complemented really well. 

The recipe originated from Morrison’s supermarkets online recipe index and needed no alteration.  It was a good way of using up the (slightly sad) leftover bit of cauliflower in the fridge, I found!  As already mentioned, thinned down a little more with some milk and/or stock – perhaps with some extra spices of your own choosing – it could also make a delicious soup.   It would also be a good topping for a meat or pulse based pie in place of mashed potatoes.   If you run short of sweet potatoes then substitute ordinary potato, parsnip or carrot: it won’t be exactly the same but it will still taste good.

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Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Mash
(Serves 4)

1 medium sized cauliflower (or part of  a large one, as available)
1lb/450g sweet potatoes
1oz/25g butter
1tsp cumin seeds
3tbsp crème fraîche
2tbsp fresh or frozen chives (not dried)
Salt & pepper

1. Put a pan of water on to boil. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. As they blacken quickly when exposed to air, immediately plunge them into the water and boil for 15 minutes, or until they are tender.

2. While the sweet potato cooks, remove the outer leaves and any tough stalk from a medium sized cauliflower and cook in another pan for 12 to 15 minutes.
(I cooked the sweet potato and cauliflower separately in the same stove top steamer.)

3. Drain both the sweet potato and cauliflower.

4. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the cumin seeds briefly, but do not let them burn.

5. Put the cauliflower and sweet potato into the pan with the melted butter and cumin, add the crème fraîche and mash very well until you have a creamy and lump free mixture.

6. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh chopped chives, season and serve.

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Cheese & Tomato Tortilla Bake

We inherited most of a bag of nacho tortilla chips that were left over after a party and I managed to persuade the family to let me make this rather than just finish them up.  Just a few days before I had seen versions of this recipe in two different places but as we don’t normally buy crisps it was an ingredient I did not have. 

There were two sources for this recipe, both from Sainsbury’s supermarket.  The first is the Summer 2010 leaflet titled ‘Try something new’, the recipe was called Cheesy Nachos.  The second source was from a free instore recipe card, which adds beans to the mixture.  One recipe used salsa dip, which is available from the supermarket, but the other had instructions for a sauce.  My own basic Simple Tomato Sauce could be substituted or alternatively it would be a good way to use home made Tomato Relish.  Chilli powder or sauce can be added if not already in the sauce or relish used or this could be replaced with another spice such as cumin.  No need to buy expensive branded tortilla chips, the supermarket own brand ones are just as good.  Once cooked the top layer of chips are mostly crunchy, but the lower layers are less so.  Do not make this dish too long in advance as the tortilla chips will lose their crispness.

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Cheese & Tomato Tortilla Bake
(Serves 4)

1 bag plain flavoured Tortilla chips/Nachos (about 100g/3½ozs)
1 125g ball Mozzarella cheese
2-3 chopped spring onions or ½ red onion
1 x 400g tin cannellini/red kidney/black eye beans or chick peas – optional
100g/3½ozs Salsa dip (approximate amount)
   or
100g/3½ozs Tomato Relish (approximate amount)
   or
1 portion Simple Tomato Sauce (approximate amount)
Chilli & or cumin powder or chilli sauce, unless relish/sauce already spiced, to taste

1.  Heat the oven to 200^oC/Fan 180^oC/400^oF/Gas 6

2.  Finely chop the spring onions or red onion.

3.  Cut or tear the mozzarella ball into pieces.

4.   Reserving 6 unbroken tortilla triangles for the top of the dish, start to layer the Tortilla Bake nto an ovenproof serving dish.  Cover the bottom of the dish with about ⅓ tortilla chips and follow  with ½ beans (if using), ½ tomato sauce, ½ onions and ½ cheese.  Repeat (⅓ chips and remaining beans (if using), tomato sauce, onions and cheese). Finish with the remaining ⅓ chips placing the 6 reserved chips on top.

5.  Bake uncovered for 10minutes in the centre of the preheated oven.

6.  Serve warm as an accompaniment to a light supper, as part of a buffet or even as a starter.  Best eaten warm but could be served cold at a buffet as long as not made too far in advance.  It will be less crisp if cold.

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Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad

Fattoush is a delicious light summery salad well known across the Middle East.  It is packed full of fragrant flavours – lemon, sumac, mint and basil.  Fattoush can be served with any Middle Eastern, Mediterranean or even North African main dish making a good light alternative to a couscous based salad.  This recipe, from Nigella Lawson, was originally served alongside Za’atar Chicken.

The recipe below is almost the same as the one in the book Forever Summer by Nigella Lawson, in fact it was the repeats of the television programme that accompanied the book that originally alerted me to the recipe.  This was, however, just my starting point.  Some more research showed me that this is a fairly basic recipe to which other ingredients can be added, as you wish.  Optional extra ingredients widely listed are lettuce, radish, parsley, carrot (grated or batons), red or green pepper, red cabbage, black olives or pomegranite seeds (or arils): I particularly like the sound of this final idea. Feta cheese is another optional ingredient which would make this a more substantial salad (in fact this recipe is not unlike Greek Salad and has very similar basic ingredients, with the feta cheese and olives replaced with pieces of pitta bread, basil and sumac).  Not unsurprising really given the close proximity of Greece to the area normally considered as the Middle East.  It is perfectly acceptable to use pitta breads that are slightly stale: this recipe was used by cooks in the middle east for this very purpose.

Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad
(Serves 4)

2 pitta breads
3 or 4 spring onions (depending on size) or ½ finely chopped red onion
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
Generous handful of fresh parsley (flat leaf if available), chopped
Generous handful of mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
6-8tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
1tsp Sumac powder to sprinkle over finished salad
(see also list of optional ingredients above)

1.  Prepare the spring onions or red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and garlic and mix gently but thoroughly together.

2.  Dress the salad with the olive oil, lemon juice and a little salt.  Refrigerate until almost ready to serve.

3.  It is good to have the pitta breads slightly warm and still crisp so this final stage should be done just before serving.  Split the pitta breads in half and toast or put in the oven for five minutes.  They should be slightly crisp but not completely brittle.

4.  Using scissors, snip the toasted pitta breads into medium to small pieces and stir into the salad mixture.

5.  Sprinkle over the sumac so it is noticeable but not too thick.

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Tzatziki Potato Salad

A simple potato salad is a delicious alongside a green salad as part of a summer supper.  This version is combined with Tzatziki, a yoghurt based accompaniment commonly served at Greek meals, but found around the Mediterranean and further afield under other names: all slightly different but all very similar.

The source of this recipe was an idea found at Good to Know Recipes and also called Tzatziki Potato Salad originally taken from Love Dips.  I revisited my recipe for own Tzatsiki, already posted on this site and used this, with the addition of a small amount of sweet red onion, for extra flavour and lots of mint, which very strangely was omitted from the Good to Know recipe.  As an alternative to Greek yoghurt I used a standard plain version, which can be combined with some crème fraîche for extra thickness.  However Greek Yoghurt would also give a thicker consistency and is often available in lower fat versions.  Finally, I sprinkled the whole salad generously with Sumac, a Mediterranean ingredient  more commonly found in the Middle East and North Africa, but also because I like it.  This can be replaced with paprika or some ground black pepper if preferred.

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Tzatziki Potato Salad
(Serves 4)

500g new potatoes – substitute old potatoes if new unavailable
2/3 large sprigs of mint
300g Greek yogurt, or a mixture of plain yoghurt and crème fraîche or soured cream
½ clove of garlic
½ small red onion or 2 spring onions (optional – can replace garlic)
½ cucumber
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt & black pepper
Sumac or paprika (optional)

1. Scrub new potatoes and halve or peel and cut old potatoes into large dice. Cover with water, add a pinch of salt and a large stem of mint. Bring to the boil and cook until soft. Do not overcook as they could break up, which could be a problem using old potatoes.

2. Measure the yoghurt or yoghurt and crème fraîche/soured cream into a bowl.

3. Finely chop or crush the garlic and red onion or spring onions. Finely dice the cucumber. Chop the remaining mint, reserving a few whole small leaves to decorate. Mix these into the yoghurt along with the lemon juice and season to taste.

4. Gently combine with the potatoes, spoon into a serving dish, decorate with the reserved mint leaves and sprinkle with a little sumac, paprika or black pepper to serve.

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Minted Apple Salad

This salad was made as a contribution for a shared supper with a group of friends.  I was asked to bring a green salad, so set about putting together a mixture of green salad and fruit items (although there were some dark red radiccio leaves in the mixed salad and the green pepper was slightly turning to orange/yellow.)   I used cider vinegar in the vinaigrette dressing as it complemented the sharp tasting green skinned Granny Smith apples.  Although they are sharp they add a sweetness and this can be increased by adding grapes.  Alternatively, green olives could be added to give a more salty flavour, although I did not add them on this occasion.  The whole salad was well received and one friend in particular was very complimentary.  I shall certainly be making this again.

As you might have gathered, this recipe is my own concoction, probably not very original but still was not copied from another source.  Pork and apple complement each other well and this would be particularly suitable to eat with cold ham or gammon, pork, pork pie or a pork based pâté.

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Minted Apple Salad
(Select items from this list – choice & proportions according to personal preference)
Mixed green salad leaves
Rocket
Baby spinach
Chopped cucumber
Chopped green pepper
Chopped mint
Seedless green grapes (optional)
Pitted green olives (optional)
Dressing (can be increased proportionally as required):
2tbsp olive oil
1tbsp cider vinegar
black pepper

1.  Wash leaves.  

2.  Slice cucumber in quarters lengthwise and chop.

3.  Chop and prepare other items as required and combine in a large bowl.

4.  Mix the dressing in proportion of 2:1 (oil to vinegar) add a little black pepper and whisk together thoroughtly.

5.  Shortly before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly together.

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Marinaded Mixed Bean Salad

The soft cream, beige, brown and maroon colours of a mixed bean salad is attractive and delicious addition as part of a summer salad meal and a useful dish to serve on a buffet table.  I tend to make a large potful and keep it in the fridge to eat over several days – but I find it rather ‘moreish’ and it is very difficult not to help myself to a quick spoonful every time I open the door! 

These recipes come from Vegetarian Kitchen by Sarah Brown, the book of her BBC TV series from the 1980s.  I first made these marinade recipes not long after seeing the series and buying the book and I find it difficult to decide which is my favourite, so I have posted both.  Mixed dried beans can be bought and cook them in advance, in which case about an hour needs to be added to the preparation time.  I find, however, that the beans often end up looking a similar colour, losing the individual shades which go to make the salad rather pretty.  The best way to avoid this is to use tins of pre-cooked beans, gently warming them through first to help soak up the flavours of the chosen marinade.  It used to be much more economical to buy and cook dried beans, but tinned beans are much less expensive now, especially if bought from the ethnic food aisle or from the supermarket’s ‘economy’ range.  Both marinades look virtually the same: as for flavour, the ‘Dark & Spicy’ is actually not very hot (increase the proportions if you wish after you have given it a try) the ‘Light & Sharp’ is a fragrant mixture of lemon, garlic and ginger.  I usually make this second one for entertaining.  Any leftovers keep well in the fridge and can be eaten over two or three days if necessary – if there is any left.

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Marinaded Mixed Bean Salad
(Serves 8 – more as part of a buffet)

For the Bean Mixture use either:
4-5 400g tins of ready cooked beans
red kidney, borlotti, haricot/cannellini, black eye peas & chick peas – choose varied colours (empty the beans into a saucepan and gently warm through before dressing with chosen marinade – be careful not to cook as they are often already very soft
     or
Mixed dried beans about 1kg – half the weight of the eventual amount of cooked beans. (Cover with water, do not add any salt, bring to the boil and boil for 10 mins.  This is important as Red Kidney beans contain a toxin which can cause stomach upsets unless they are boiled in this way – and Red Kidney beans are needed for their colour. Continue to cook on low heat, still without adding any salt, until softened – around 1 hour in total.  Drain well and dress with chosen marinade.  The liquid can be used as a stock to enrich other recipes.) 

Dark & Spicy Marinade
6fl ozs/175ml olive oil
3fl ozs/75ml red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground coriander
1 tsp freshly ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
1 clove garlic, crushed

Light & Sharp Marinade
6fl ozs/17ml sunflower oil
3fl ozs/75ml lemon juice
½tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
½tsp dry mustard powder (Colemans English is ideal)
½tsp freshly grated root ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed

1.  Mix together the ingredients for the chosen marinade.

2.  Prepare the bean mixture (either by using tins or by pre-cooking dried beans – see above).

3.  While the beans are warm, pour the marinade over and gently stir to combine. 

4.  Cover and leave in a cool place, transferring to the fridge if possible once cold, to allow the flavours to permeate the beans.  Ideally do this overnight or at least for severall hours.

5.  Just before serving chopped parsley can be sprinkled over the salad to add extra colour – for the Dark & Spicy marinaded beans chopped fresh coriander can be substituted.

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Ratatouille Niçoise/Provençale

Ratatouille Niçoise, also called Ratatouille Provençale, is a traditional dish from the Provence region of France, originating from the Mediterranean town of Nice, after which it gets its proper full name.  Mostly, however, this is shortened to just Ratatouille.  I cannot give a particular source for this recipe, but anyway I consider this version my own!  As with my personal combinations for Chilli con Carne and Ragu Bolognaise, this recipe has altered over the years into the combination of flavours we currently enjoy and it may well continue to develop.

However, following a suggestion in the book Cooking in Provence by Alexander MacKay & Peter Knab my most recent addition has been dried orange peel, which evokes the scent and flavour of the Mediterranean climate. (See information about orange peel in my section on ingredients.)  I once read that true Herbes de Provence should have a little culinary lavender added as well, so if I have some available I add just a little.  (A word of warning: Lavender is said to induce labour and therefore should not be served to anyone who is, or may be, pregnant.)  MacKay & Knab also add cayenne instead of ordinary pepper, which even if used sparingly, gives a gentle spicy kick.  Ratatouille mixture can be eaten as a vegetarian main course on its own, topped with grated parmesan cheese or as a side vegetable dish with grilled meat (gammon steak or pork chops are good).  I also use it in North African Style Fish Fillets, a North African style recipe where the Ratatouille is layered in the bottom of a serving dish as a bed on which fish fillets are baked.  Ratatouille freezes well so it is worth making a larger quantity to store for another time.  It is also surprisingly good cold and the flavours develop more if left overnight in the fridge.  Left over Ratatouille can also be included in a home made mixed leftovers soup, a tasty and economical midweek lunch.  All quantities given in the recipe below should be considered as a rough guide and can be altered to suit personal taste.

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Special Ratatouille
(Serves 4-6 depending on size of vegetables)

1 large aubergine, quartered lengthwise & cut into chunks
1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, red or white (more if you like onion)
2 cloves garlic
4ozs/110g mushrooms, quartered or sliced depending on size
2 large courgettes, quartered lengthwise & cut into chunks
1tbsp tomato purée
14oz/400g tin of plum tomatoes, chopped
      or
8ozs/225g fresh tomatoes & a little water
1tbsp herbes de provence
1tbsp dried orange rind
½tsp sugar
2 peppers – red, yellow or orange are preferable, sliced
½tsp chopped fresh basil plus a little to garnish (optional)
Salt & ground black pepper (or cayenne pepper)

1.  Layer the aubergine slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt.  Cover with a plate that fits within the colander, add a weight (a tin of beans or fruit) and leave to one side.

2.  Halve and slice the onion(s) and finely chop the garlic.  Cook the onion, garlic and mushroom in olive oil over a low heat until the onion is transparent and soft.

3.  Mix in the tomato purée and well chopped tomatoes (plus a little water if using fresh tomatoes).  Stir in the herbs, dried orange rind, sugar and, if using, lavender and/or cayenne pepper.  Bring to the boil.

4.  Stir in the courgette and peppers with the rinsed courgette.  Add the fresh basil if using.  Season to taste.  Reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for at least 30 minutes. 
or
It is often considered preferable to cook Ratatouille in the oven with a longer cooking time recommended to allow the flavours to fully develop.  Rather than cooking on the stove top, Ratatouille can be transferred to an lidded ovenproof dish and cooked in a low oven at 170^oC/325^oF/Gas 3 for about 1 hour.  It is important, though, for the individual pieces of vegetable retain their shape rather than turning mushy. 

5.  However it is cooked, check from time to time adding a little extra water if necessary.

6.  Check seasoning.  Drizzle with a little extra olive oil, garnish with chopped basil and some strands of dried orange rind before serving (optional) .

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Coriander & Chickpea Couscous Salad

Unflavoured, couscous is really unexciting.  However, flavoured with oils, lemon and herbs or spices it can be transformed into a delicious accompaniment not just for North African dishes, but as a side dish for simply grilled meat or as part of a cold or warm buffet.

This is my variation on a recipe from the book Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Cookbook. I have several books by this well known vegetarian writer who introduced a BBC vegetarian cookery series in the 1980’s. (See my version of the original recipe: Chickpea & Couscous Salad.) I have changed or substituted some of the ingredients for this version: the original included 1tsp miso (shoyu or soy sauce could be substituted) and 1tsp lemon juice, which I have changed to preserved/Pickled Lemon – also lots (and lots) of chopped fresh Coriander (and it must be fresh).  This is a simple unspicy dish, but would be good with a sprinkling of Sumac, a commonly used eastern spice (see recipe for Grilled Chicken with Sumac & Roasted Banana) or, for a hotter taste, add ½-1tsp Ras el-Hanout or Harissa paste at the same time as the oils.  Cooked couscous keeps for several days in the fridge and may be frozen for up to three months and should be thoroughly defrosted before it is eaten.  If it has coriander added the flavour could be affected when defrosted.

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Coriander & Chickpea Couscous Salad
(Serves 4)

225g/8ozs couscous
400g/14oz tin chick peas, drained & rinsed
570ml/1 pint boiling water
30ml/2tbsp olive oil
15ml/1tbsp sesame oil
15ml/1tbsp chopped preserved/Pickled Lemon or lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
5/6 chopped spring onions or ½ red onion, finely chopped
4-6 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (depending on personal taste)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Sumac powder (optional)

1.  Place the couscous, drained chick peas, oils, garlic, spring onion and chopped lemon or lemon juice in a large heatproof bowl or jug.

2.  Pour over the boiling water and mix together with a fork.  The couscous will absorb the liquids quite quickly.

3.  Add the fresh coriander, reserving a little as a garnish if you wish, and season.

4.  If it is to be eaten hot, this salad should be made just before it is served as it cools quickly.  (If necessary, it can be briefly reheated in a microwave, but may need a little more water if this is done although it is best not made too far in advance.)  Alternatively it can be left to cool and is ideal served cold, perhaps as part of a buffet.  

5.  Sprinkle with reserved coriander, or a few individual leaves and a little sumac powder (optional) or ground black pepper.

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Chickpea & Couscous Salad
Here is my version of the original recipe by Sarah Brown.  Good hot or cold.

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Onion Rice Pilaf

Plain boiled rice is a usual and perfectly satisfactory accompaniment for Indian food but a Pilaf or Pilaff (or Pilau as it sometimes appears on menus) is so much better: fragrant rather than hot and especially good when entertaining.  This method is very simple and it combined well with the Makkhani Murghi (Tandoori Chicken in a Butter Sauce) it accompanied: a favourite chicken dish I often serve when entertaining.  I am sure I will be making this Pilaf rice regularly from now on. 

The original recipe comes from Nigella Lawson’s book Feast: Food that Celebrates Life, which was one of my Christmas presents.  The original title is Pilaff for a Curry Banquet.  I always use my rice cooker when cooking rice but this time I followed the recipe method and made the pilaf on the stove top which was very simple and straightforward.  I am sure it could be easily adapted for a rice cooker, unless of course you are using this for plain boiled rice, as suggested in the original recipe as an alternative extra dish.   I have recently been watching repeats of the television programmes that accompany Keith Floyd’s book Floyd around India and took his advice to use red onions in Indian dishes as they are sweeter.  They also added a lovely pink hue to what could be a very white dish.  Rather than a tea towel, I used a clean square dish cloth to cover and help seal the pan as it seemed a better fit.  I suggest that this step is not left out as I think it does help to seal in the heat and moisture as the rice rests, stopping it from drying out.  I have also increased the onion and some of the spices a little as we like a more pronounced flavour.  We love Nigella seed (also called Kalonji, which can be bought in ethnic grocery shops and large supermarkets).  Our local Turkish bakery uses it, along with sesame seeds, on top of their bread and it is delicious!  The original recipe says it is optional, but do try to get it if at all possible.

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Rice Pilaf(Serves 8)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped (I used red onion)
2 cloves
4-6 cardamom pods, crushed
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
½tsp whole cumin seeds
1tsp nigella (kalonji) seeds, (optional in the original recipe, but well worth including)
1lb 2ozs/500g basmati rice
1¾pints/1litre chicken (or vegetable) stock
2ozs/50g flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish
3tbsp chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

1.  Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and gently fry the onion, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and nigella seeds for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and lightly browned.

2.  At this point the mixture could be transferred to a rice cooker and the method continued as follows:

3.  Stir the rice into the oily spiced onion until it is thoroughly covered. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over the lowest heat possible for 20 minutes. (For rice cooker, use ‘cook’ setting until liquid has evaporated and the machine goes to the very low ‘keep’ setting.)

4.  Turn off the heat, take the lid off, cover with a tea towel and clamp the lid back on the saucepan.  With the rice cooker this can be done when it has reached the ‘keep’ setting. The rice can be rested like this for at least 10 minutes and up to about 1 hour, so it can be made a little ahead of time if entertaining.

5.  Just before serving, fork the rice through and scatter the toasted flaked almonds and chopped fresh coriander on top.  It is not necessary to remove the larger pieces of spice before serving, although you may prefer not to eat the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves.

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