Aromatic Roasted Carrot & Almond Rice Recipe

Ingredients

500g carrots
3 heaped tsp tikka masala spice blend
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
A thumb of ginger
A handful of coriander
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 onions
2 vine tomatoes
300ml boiling water
1 vegetable stock cube
150g white basmati rice
35g flaked almonds
2 spring onions

No processor? No problem: To make your curry paste without a food processor, finely grate the peeled garlic and ginger. Finely chop the coriander stalks and mix all three together in a bowl with the spices and oil. Easy!

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Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/ Gas 6. Scrub the carrots and slice them into batons (no need to peel). Spread the carrots out on a baking tray and sprinkle with 1 heaped tsp tikka spice blend (save the rest for later). Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and toss everything together to coat. Slide into the oven and roast for 25 mins, till tender and caramelised.

2. Make the curry paste: peel the garlic cloves and ginger and pop them into a small food processor. Separate the coriander stalks and leaves (save the leaves for later). Add the stalks to the processor along with the remaining 2 tsp tikka spice blend, a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp oil. Whizz till finely chopped. No processor? See our tip for making your curry paste the old-fashioned way.

3. Peel the onions and finely slice them. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a medium-sized pan and warm over a medium heat. Slide in the onions and spoon in the curry paste. Fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, till the onions have slightly softened.

4. While the onions cook, dice the tomatoes. Measure out 300ml boiling water in a jug and crumble in the stock cube. Stir to dissolve.

5. Tip the rice into the pan with the onions. Slide in the tomatoes and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, till the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed.

6. Warm a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat.Add the flaked almonds and dry fry for 2-3 mins, tossing occasionally, till toasted. Tip the almonds into a bowl and set aside.

7. Trim the roots and top 3cm off the spring onions. Thinly slice them on an angle. Put the empty frying pan used for the almonds back on a high heat and drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the spring onions and a pinch of salt. Fry for 2-3 mins, stirring frequently, till tender and golden at the edges.

8. Fluff the rice and divide it between 2 warm plates. Top with the roasted carrots, toasted almonds and sizzling spring onions. Garnish with coriander leaves to serve.