Baked vegetable pilau rice recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped (or a large handful of frozen chopped onion)
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (or ½ tsp garlic purée)
• 250g basmati rice
• 500ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 75g frozen peas, thawed
• Pinch of salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 cardamom pods, split

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/gas 7 or 180ºC/gas 4, depending on what else you are baking.

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and fry the onion, carrots and pepper gently, stirring, for 4 minutes until softened but not browned.

Stir in the turmeric, garlic and rice until all the grains are glistening.

Add the stock, peas, salt, bay leaf and spices. Bring to the boil, stir, then cover and cook in the oven for 20 minutes at the higher temperature or 30 minutes at the lower temperature until the rice is just tender and the liquid is almost absorbed.

Remove from the oven but do not uncover. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Fluff up with a fork. Remove the bay leaf and spices, if liked, before serving.

To freeze: Cool quickly, freeze in sealable freezer bags for up to 6 months

How To Cook Your Favourite Takeaways At Home by Caroline Humphries is published by How To Books Ltd, priced £9.99.