Vegetable Biryani

 

Ingredients

• Frylight
• 1 small cauliflower, broken into small florets
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1l hot vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp hot curry powders (Madras is good)
• 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
• large pinch of saffron strands
• 2 tsp mustard seeds (black or white)
• 500g basmati rice
• 140g trimmed green beans, halved
• 2 lemons, juice only
• a handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. frylight a large roasting tin or ovenproof dish and put in the oven for a couple of minutes to heat through. Add all the vegetables to the tin, except the beans,
2. Season with salt and pepper and return to the oven for 15 minutes until beginning to brown. (Add some of the stock to prevent drying)
3. While the vegetables are roasting, stir together the stock, currypowders, chilli, saffron and mustard seeds.
4. Mix the rice and green beans with the vegetables in the tin, then pour over the stock mixture. Lower the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 190C. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the lemon juice and check the seasoning, serve.