mitzireddy

The only frozen vegetables that I usually always have in my freezer are sweetcorn (which my family love just fried in butter) and peas – I always throw in a handful of peas in rice dishes and some curries as I find the peas add an attractive colour to a dish which always makes it more appealing – as one does eat with one’s eyes as well.

I came across this recipe in a cookbook, Healthy Indian Cooking, by a UK chef, Shehzad Husain using the convenience of frozen vegetables to make an easy vegetable pilau with the main ingredients being sweetcorn and peas.

This dish has just enough spices in it to make it a delicately flavoured pilau without any curry powder or chilli.

VEGETABLE PILAU

Serves 4-6

1 cup basmati rice

2 Tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

4 green cardamom pods

4 cloves

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1/3 frozen sweet corn, thawed

½ red pepper, finely chopped (optional)

¼ cup cashew nuts, lightly fried

2 cups water

¼ tsp ground cumin

1/2tsp salt

Wash the basmati rice in several changes of cold water. Put into a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak for 30 mnutes.

Heat the oil in large heavy based frying pan.

Fry the cumin seeds for 1 minute.

Add the bay leaves, cardamom pods and cloves and fry for a further minute.

Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes.

Add the red pepper (if using) and fry for approximately 3 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.

Stir in the diced carrots and cook for 3 -4 minutes.

Add the peas, sweet corn and cashew nuts.

Drain the rice and add to the pan.

Mix well and fry for 4 – 5 minutes.

Add the water, ground cumin and salt.

Bring to the boil.

Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes over a very low heat until all the water is absorbed.

Leave to stand, covered for 10 minutes before serving.

I served the pilau with dhal curry and sweet and sour lime pickle.