Ingredients

Pilau Rice

• 50g butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 5cm ginger, peeled & chopped (optional)
• 250g basmati rice, rinsed & left in cold water for 20 minutes
• 1 pinch of saffron strands (optional)
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 600ml vegetable/chicken stock (you may use stock cubes)
• 100g broad beans, podded and skinned (300g whole broad beans) or use frozen broad beans when out of season or see note below
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 tbsp. currants (optional)
• 110g whole blanched almonds, toasted (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime or 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander (optional)
• Salt & pepper

To Garnish

• Coriander leaves (optional)

Method

1. Heat an oven to 175°C. In a large oven-proof saucepan, melt the butter, add the onion and ginger, and sauté for 5 minutes so that they are soft.
2. Strain the rice and add to the pan, cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the cardamom pods, saffron (if using) & cinnamon to the rice and stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour in enough stock to cover the rice generously and stir in the broad beans if frozen. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the fresh broad beans. Cover the rice with buttered parchment paper & a lid.
5. Place the rice in the oven and cook for around 20 minutes; the stock should all be absorbed and the rice tender. If the rice is still not cooked and the stock is all gone add a little more boiling stock or water and place in the oven for a further 5 minutes.
6. When cooked, remove from the oven and add the tomatoes, currants, almonds, coriander and lime or lemon juice and distribute well
7. To Serve: Serve the rice hot or cold, garnished with a little coriander (if using).

• To remove broad beans from their skin, slit them open down the side and with your finger push them out. To remove from their skin bring some water to the boil and pour it over the beans and leave for 2-5 minutes then refresh them in cold water. You should now be able to remove their skin easily by splitting it and pushing them out.
• Peas, string beans or mange tout, can replace the broad beans. Cashews or pistachios can replace the almonds. Instead of using coriander you may wish to use flat leaf parsley.