SERVES 6 | 2 HOURS PLUS RESTING
2¼ cups basmati rice
2 cloves of garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
2 onions
1 fresh red chili
3½ oz sun-dried tomato paste
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (1 oz)
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
olive oil
7 oz green beans
½ a head of cauliflower (14 oz)
2 x 12-oz jar of chickpeas
⅔ cup plain yogurt
1½ cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
1 good pinch of saffron
½ teaspoon cardamom pods
garam masala
1⅓ cups self-rising flour
Cook the rice in a large pan of boiling salted water for exactly 7 minutes, then drain and spread out on a tray to cool. Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the garlic, ginger and onions. Whiz to a paste in a blender with the chili, tomato paste, most of the cilantro and a splash of water. Put the cloves and cinnamon into a large pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and fry for 2 minutes, then tip in the paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Trim and halve the beans and break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, then add to the pan with the chickpeas (juices and all). Stir in the yogurt, cover and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes, then season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Gently heat the milk over a low heat until warm, then turn the heat off. Add the saffron, bash and add the cardamom pods, then leave to infuse. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform cake pan and place on a baking sheet. Spoon in a third of the rice and really press down to compact. Drizzle over ¼ cup of the saffron milk, dust with 1 teaspoon of garam masala and spoon over half the curry. Repeat the layers once more, pressing as you go and finishing with a top layer of rice and 4 more tablespoons of the saffron milk.
Add the flour to the remaining saffron milk and bring together into a dough (add extra flour, if needed). Knead until smooth, then roll out so it’s just bigger than the pan. Place on top, pressing the edges to seal. Rub with oil, dust with garam masala and bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden. Rest for 15 minutes, then remove the bread lid and tear into portions, release from the pan, and pick, finely chop and scatter over the remaining cilantro. Always good served with a squeeze of lemon, a green salad and a dollop of yogurt.
