This simple vegetarian rice dish is a useful weeknight backup – it needs practically no preparation and uses storecupboard ingredients to make a nourishing, filling meal
Ingreadient
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp medium curry paste (Madras is a good one to use)
- 250g basmati rice, rinsed
- 450ml vegetable stock
- 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- handful of raisins
- 175g frozen leaf spinach, thawed
- handful of cashew nuts
- natural yogurt to serve (optional)
Direction
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan that has a lid, then fry the garlic and curry paste over a medium heat for 1 minute, until it's fragrant.
- Tip the rice into the pan with the stock, chickpeas and raisins and stir with a fork to stop the rice from clumping. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and bring to the boil. Reduce to a medium heat and cook for 12-15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Squeeze the excess water from the spinach with your hands. Tip it into the pan along with 2 tbsp of hot water and fluff up the rice with a fork, making sure the spinach is mixed in well. Toss in the cashews. Serve drizzled with natural yogurt if you like.
