- 1 red onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- A handful of thyme, leaves only
- A 75g bag of quinoa
- A 200g bag of kale
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 300ml boiling water
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Pan with a lid
- Sieve
- Measuring jug
- Bowl
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion and carrot. Heat a pan over a medium heat for 1 min. Add 1 tsp oil and the veg. Stir and fry for 4 mins till softened. Peel the garlic and grate into the pan. Add 1 tsp each of the cumin seeds and fennel seeds and all the thyme leaves. Stir and take off the heat.
- 2.
Rinse the quinoa under cold water for 1-2 mins to remove the bitterness. Tip the quinoa into the pan and stir into the veg. Pour in 300 ml boiling water. Put the pan back on the heat. Pop on a lid and leave to cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally till the water is absorbed.
- 3.
Meanwhile, strip the kale leaves from their stems. Finely chop the stems. Roughly tear or chop the leaves.
- 4.
Halve the pomegranate across the midde. Holding the halves in your cupped hand, cut-sides down, whack them with a wooden spoon over a bowl. The seeds should fall out.
- 5.
Zest and juice the lemon. Check the quinoa. The water should be absorbed and the tendrils from the quinoa uncurled. Add a little more water and cook for a few more mins if you think it needs it.
- 6.
Add the lemon juice, zest, kale leaves and stems to the pan. Toss together and clamp on the lid. Steam the kale for 3-4 mins.
- 7.
Taste the pilaf and add seasoning if it needs it. Scatter in the pomegranate seeds and serve in warmed bowls.
- Tip
Super seeds
Your leftover fennel and cumin seeds are great roughly crushed and rubbed into lamb, chicken or pork before cooking.