BUTTERED PEA PILAU (SERVES 4-6)

Spiced baked rice, red onion, hazelnuts & ‘Kewra’ herbs

Serve this exceptional pilau as an accompaniment to beef, venison, game, lamb; grilled, roasted, sautéed or braised. Created to add clean sweetness, depth and long flavour finish, the Violet Allspice blend brings nuance and balance through subtle peppery, aromatic and astringent notes

WHAT YOU NEED

Ingredients:

½ medium brown onion, finely diced

60g butter, diced

splash of vegetable oil

2 cups of Aged Basmati rice, washed thoroughly and drained

5 cups of hot water

½ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp Garam Masala and a little more for sprinkling

150g frozen peas

A good handful of flat-leaf parsley, chives, finely chopped. ‘Steep’ in one generous tsp Kewra or Rosewater and set aside

HOW TO MAKE IT

How to make the rice dish:

Firstly, turn on your oven to 180ºC or Gas Mark 4 to ‘pre-heat’ it

  1. Melt 40g of the butter in a casserole dish over a gentle heat, then add a splash of oil the onion and sweat until it’s good and soft
  2. Tip in the washed, drained rice, then stir around for a minute or two, coating all the grains with the melted ghee, butter
  3. Next, pour the hot water into the casserole, sprinkle in the turmeric and Garam Masala, give it a quick but gentle stir
  4. Cover the casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid or tin foil and place on a middle shelf in your pre-heated oven.
  5. After 10 – 15 minutes check the dish see if all the liquid has been absorbed
  6. Remove from the oven, take off the lid or gingerly rip off the foil, add the remaining 20g of butter, the peas, ‘steeped’ soft herbs and their liquor
  7. Gently combine all ingredients with a fork, sprinkle a little more fragrant Garam Masala and serve immediately…simple!

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