The theme for One World Week 2014 is ‘Living Differently’ and this year our series of One World Week guest blogs promote the 90kg rice challenge. We have challenged ourselves to sell 90kg of rice three times over to change the world for farmers and their families: so they can live differently and break the cycle of poverty.
Each guest blog takes up the rice challenge – to encourage you to get involved and change the world as you eat delicious fairly traded rice.
Today’s Rice Challenge Rice Recipe blog is from Prashad Veggie – a multi award winning, family-run, Indian vegetarian restaurant in Leeds!
Kaushy in the kitchen!
“This dish is Kaushy’s own creation, of which she is very proud. It combines spicy rice and dhal, aubergine curry, creamy yoghurt, fried peppers and crunchy onions to become to royalty of rice dishes and a full meal in itself. Kaushy has passed this recipe on to her children, and is delighted to now share it with you. Every ingredient plays its part, and when they all come together in the alternating layers of different flavours, colours and textures they make something truly wonderful.
Serves 6
Masala 1
2-4 fresh green chillies, seeds left in
2-4 cloves of garlic
3cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Pinch of salt
Masala 2
2-4 fresh green chillies, seeds left in
5cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Pinch of salt
Dhal and Rice
200g tuvar dhal (dried pigeon peas/yellow lentils)
200g basmati rice
50ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon turmeric
Fried Vegetables
Sunflower oil, for frying
1 small green pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes
1 small red pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm cubes
2 medium onions, cut into 5mm wide rings
Aubergine Curry
100ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon asafoetida
2 medium aubergines, cut into 3cm cubes
2 medium red-skinned (or other waxy) potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
90g unsalted butter
500g plain live set yoghurt.
Method
Crush the ingredients for each masala separately, using a pestle and mortar (or a blender), to make a fine paste.
Rinse the tuvar dhal at least 3 times in hot water, then leave to soak in hot water for at least 10 minutes before draining. Rinse the tice twice in warm water, then drain.
Heat the 50ml of sunflower oil for the dhal in a large pan for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the dhal and rice and fry together for 1 minute, gently stirring to coat them in oil. Add the salt, turmeric and the first masala paste, stir, then pour in 800ml of boiling water. Increase the heat to high and cook for 1 minute, uncovered, to bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer half-covered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated.
Put a large square of foil on top, tucking it in around the sides, then put a lid on the pain, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and leave to cook for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes, then remove the lid and foil and leave the rice and dhal to cool in the pan.
Heat the oil for the vegetables in a frying pan over a high heat. Fry the pepper chunks for 3 minutes or so, then remove from the pan and leave to rest on kitchen paper. Fry the onion rings in a couple of batches until they are dark brown (this should take about 4-5 minutes) and leave to rest on kitchen paper. Don’t be tempted to rush the frying, as the crunchy onions add an important texture to the dish.
Heat the 100ml of oil for the curry in a large pan for 1 minute over a medium heat, then add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the asafoetida along with the aubergines and potatoes. Stir and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the second masala paste, turmeric, salt, ground coriander, ground cumin and 50ml of warm water. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for 7-8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and chopped coriander, simmer for a further 5 minutes or so, until the potatoes are cooked through, then remove from the heat.
Tip the cooled rice and dhal back into a large roasting dish or baking tray. Spread it out, then stir in the butter. Whisk the yoghurt for a couple of minutes until slightly runny.
Spoon about a third of the rice back into the cooking pan to form a layer roughly 3cm thick (depending on the size of your pan). Follow with half the aubergine curry, then half the whisked yoghurt. Sprinkle the yoghurt with a third of the fried peppers and onions. Repeat the layering, starting with half the remaining rice, followed by the rest of the aubergine curry, then the rest of the yoghurt topped with half the remaining fried vegetables. Use the rest of the rice to create the final layer, and sprinkle the remaining peppers and onions over the top.
Put a large square of foil on top, tucking it round the sides, then put a lid on the pan and place it over a high heat for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and leave to cook for 25 minutes or so, then remove from the heat and leave to rest, covered, for at least 10 minutes.
Serve piping hot, spooning up from the bottom of the pan to make sure each serving contains all the different layers. Enjoy it with a glass of chilled mango lassi.”
To find out how you can take part in the fairandfunky rice challenge and change the world for farmers and their families in Malawi click here!
To take on the 9okg rice challenge for yourself – please get in touch with Just Trading Scotland.
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