Upgrade your usual rice dish with this vegetable-packed variation; grated carrot and butternut, lightly spiced and so easy to prepare as an alternative to the plain variety. Delicious on it’s own as a meal with a dollop of yoghurt or home made raita – though my rugby playing teenager would never be satisfied with that! He likes it to accompany a protein. Goes well with curries.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon light olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 fresh chilli (any colour)
• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons (or 2 x 5cm pieces) freshly grated ginger (use a microplane grater)
• 4 cardamom pods, whole and slightly crushed (seeds mustn’t fall out, flavour just needs to ease through)
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 cup grated raw butternut
• 1 grated raw large carrot
• 1/2 cup toasted cashew nuts, kept whole
• Salt & pepper to season
• Fresh coriander for decoration
• For the raita – plain yoghurt, finely chopped cucumber, finely chopped handful of mint leaves or 1 teaspoon mint sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Method

Using a broad-based/wide and non-stick frying pan or casserole dish, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook until softened (about 5 min on a medium heat).

Add the chilli, garlic and ginger and cook for 2 min, stirring.

Add all of your spices with a little water (about 2 tablespoons) to loosen the mixture, and cook for 2 min, stirring.

Add butternut and carrot and stir through all of the flavours in the pan.

Add your rice, and cook the dish on a low heat for about 10 min. Keep an eye so that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom – it will catch, so keep stirring.

When the butternut and carrot have cooked, mix your cashews through, season with salt & pepper to taste, and scatter over some fresh coriander.

Once done, I find the flavours infuse well if you pop a lid on the pan and let it naturally steam while you make your curry or protein accompaniment.

This Biryani is also delicious eaten at room temperature, so can be used as a salad with your braai or BBQ meat.