RICE AND LENTILS WITH TAHINI ROASTED ROOT VEG

Ingredients

2 onions, thinly sliced

4-5tbsp olive oil

A good pinch of saffron stamens

100g puy lentils

5 medium parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways

5 carrots, peeled and quartered lengthways 5 medium beetroots, trimmed and quartered (no need to peel)

2tsp cumin seeds

2tsp coriander seeds

1tsp Aleppo chilli flakes

½tsp garlic granules

2 garlic cloves, crushed

300g brown basmati rice, rinsed

200g cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 500ml veg stock

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2tbsp tahini

2tbsp maple syrup

Seeds of ½ pomegranate

Leaves from a small bunch of coriander

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

For the cermoula dressing:

1tsp cumin seeds

½tsp coriander seeds

1 fat garlic clove, roughly chopped

1 mild green chilli (such as fresh jalapeño), sliced 2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

25g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks, very roughly chopped

25g coriander, leaves and stalks, very roughly chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

½tsp ground sumac

½tsp cayenne pepper

6tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Start by cooking the rice. Tip the onions into a heavy, lidded saucepan, add two tablespoons of olive oil and cook slowly over a low-medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until very soft and starting to caramelise at the edges. Soak the saffron in two tablespoons of freshly-boiled water in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°c/gas mark 6 and line one large or two smaller baking trays with baking paper. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and cook in a pan of boiling water for about 20 minutes until just tender but still with a little ‘bite’. Drain and set aside.

Combine the prepared root veg in a large bowl. Lightly crush the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and Aleppo chilli flakes using a pestle and mortar. Add to the veggies with the garlic granules and two to three tablespoons of olive oil. Season well with salt and freshly-ground black pepper and mix well to thoroughly coat the vegetables in spices.

Arrange in a single layer on the baking tray(s) and roast for about 45 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender and browning at the edges.

Meanwhile, add the crushed garlic to the onions and cook for a further minute. Add the rice to the pan, along with the drained lentils and chickpeas. Pour the stock and saffron with soaking water into the pan, add the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and season well.

Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook for about 30 minutes until the rice is tender and stock is absorbed. Remove from heat and leave covered until ready to serve.

For the chermoula dressing, toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for one minute until starting to brown and smell aromatic. Tip into a small food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper and whizz until nearly smooth.

In a bowl, mix the tahini and maple syrup, spoon over the roasted veg, mix to coat and return to the oven for five minutes until golden and sticky.

Spoon the rice onto a large platter, remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and arrange the roasted veggies on top. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves and serve with the chermoula dressing for drizzling.