Roasted Pumpkin and Spinach Biryani
This is a flavourful, one pot vegan dish perfectly warming for the winter months. Two diced chicken breasts can be added in place of the pumpkin to make this a non-vegan dish.
Created by this year’s winner of the Public Sector Catering Awards, Chef of the Year, Steven Cross of Park Community School.
Serves 6
Allergens – Tree nuts (Coconut Oil).
Cost per serving – £0.87
Ingredients
- 300g Tilda Brown & White rice
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- Quarter of a medium pumpkin – deseeded, peeled and diced
- 300g baby leaf spinach
- 1 large white onion – diced
- 1 clove garlic - crushed
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp balti paste
- 80g sultanas
- 850ml vegetable stock
- Chopped coriander and flaked almonds to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Begin by coating the large diced pumpkin with 1 tsp of Balti paste and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until soft.
- In a large heavy sauce pan add the oil heating until smoking, add the diced onion and garlic and slightly cooking until brown.
- Now add the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, turmeric and remaining Balti paste cooking for 5 - 10 minutes.
- You now have a nice curry paste so add the spinach and allow to cook, continue to cook until the spinach is dry as this will release some liquid.
- Remove the pumpkin from the oven and add to the curry mixture, add the rice, sultanas and stock and stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the pan or tin foil and put into the oven to finish cooking for 40 – 50 minutes.
- Serve with chopped coriander and flaked almonds.