Preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 45 minutes

This is a wet rice dish, a little like a risotto.

Serves 4

Ingredients

400 g basmati rice 

800 g canned chickpeas, drained 

Key Spices

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns

 

Warming Spices

3 cloves

6 green cardamoms, bashed

1 black cardamom, bashed

Wet Ingredients

1 tbs coconut oil 

2 onions, finely sliced

1 tbs tomato purée

2 tsp pulped garlic 

1 tsp pulped ginger 

1-2 tsp hot mango pickle

600 ml water 

400 ml coconut milk 

Himalayan pink rock salt to taste

1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Greek yogurt, to serve

 

Method

Wash the rice in a pan until the water runs clear, then leave the rice to soak in water for 30 minutes.

Heat the coconut oil in a large pan on a low heat, then add the key spices and warming spices, and fry until they begin to splutter. This should take 1 minute.

Add the onions, tomato puree, garlic and ginger and fry for 5 minutes.
Stir in the hot mango pickle and chickpeas, season with rock salt, and fry over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes. 
Drain the rice in a colander, add to the sauté pan and fold and coat the rice with all the spices

Pour in the water, coconut milk and stir gently.
As soon as it comes to the boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover tightly with a lid.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the excess liquid has been absorbed, and the rice is cooked.
Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh coriander. 

Serve hot or at room temperature, with Greek yogurt on the side.

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