Veggie pilaf with toasted nuts & feta
Fluffy rice, crunchy pistachios, tangy feta cheese and sweet dried fruit
35 mins
Not Too Tricky
serves 2
About the recipe
This pilaf is all about balance – fluffy rice, crunchy pistachios, tangy feta cheese and sweet dried fruit. The trick is to use a pan with a really tight-fitting lid. You want to steam the rice so that it absorbs all the flavours of the dish and fluffs up beautifully. All you have to do to make perfect rice is put the lid on, then leave it alone – no peeking!
Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic
1 leek
1 carrot
1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (15g)
olive oil
75g dried cranberries and raisins
300ml organic vegetable stock
½ teaspoon turmeric
150g basmati or jasmine rice
1 lime
20g shelled pistachios
50g feta cheese
2 tablespoons yoghurt
Method
- Peel and finely slice the garlic, trim, wash and finely chop the leek, then peel and halve the carrot lengthways and finely slice at an angle. Pick the parsley leaves, putting aside for later and finely chop the stalks.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan on a medium heat, add the chopped vegetables and parsley stalks, then cook gently with the lid on for 10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, roughly chop the dried fruit.
- Pour the stock into a medium pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
- When the vegetables have softened, add the turmeric and rice.
- Add the fruit, fry for a couple of minutes on a high heat, then pour in the stock, stir and bring to the boil.
- Cover with tight-fitting lid, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid. Turn off the heat and leave the pan to one side with the lid on.
- Meanwhile, put a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, scatter in the nuts and toast until lightly golden. Take off the heat, tip onto a board, roughly chop then put to the side. Roughly chop the parsley leaves.
- Finely grate the lime zest into the pilaf, squeeze in the juice, season well, then fluff up the rice with a fork.
- Divide the pilaf between plates, scattering over the nuts and parsley. Crumble over the feta, then finish with a dollop of yoghurt.
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