This is so adaptable. Go easy on the additions and serve it as a side dish to the Moroccan Slow-Cooked Vegetables (see page 159) or with the Pomegranate Salsa (see page 21), or pimp it up with extra cheese or a fried egg to make a main meal.
Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus making the stock and 10 minutes standing Cooking time: 25 minutes
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 cloves
6 cardamom pods, split
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1¾ cups basmati rice
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
3¼ cups Vegetable Stock, plus extra if needed (see page 14)
3 handfuls of spinach, tough stalks removed, leaves shredded
1 cup drained canned lima beans or cooked dried lima beans (see pages 8–9)
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted (see page 18)
1 scant cup feta cheese, crumbled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the oil in a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and fry 6 minutes until softened, then add the garlic, cloves, cardamom, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the rice and turmeric, then pour in the stock; it should cover the rice by about ½ inch. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to its lowest setting, cover with a lid and and cook 5 minutes.
3. Briefly remove the lid and stir in the spinach and lima beans, then return the lid and cook another 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. (Add more stock if the rice is not cooked, cover with the lid again and cook a few more minutes until tender.) Season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes. Serve the rice in bowls, sprinkled with the pumpkin seeds and feta cheese.
Leftover cooked rice can be kept in the refrigerator up to 2 days or frozen; either way make sure you reheat it really well.