Basmati with chickpeas and herbs

We had a difficult time explaining to my friend's general factotum, who was helping us cook, what on earth this is called. 'Lekin didi yeh kaunsa biryani hai?' Somehow 'Basmati and chickpeas Babulalji' just didn't seem to work. So we called it Choley ka biryani. Once again from Ottolenghi, this time from Jerusalem, we served it with this yummy yummy chicken sofrito, which I didn't make so no recipe and wasn't in serving dishes when we had light so I have no pictures of sadly.

Stuffed Zucchini

My favourite cousin got me my first Ottolenghi book, Jerusalem, as a present in February, and then I went and bought Plenty at the book fair. They've been hanging out in my cookbookshelf all this time and, on the occasion of dinner birthday party for two beloved friends, I fished em out to plan menus. Now these recipes are a little daunting, partly because he seems to use a hundred things in each recipe, but also partly because I'm like erm...really? THIS combination? Are you SURE? But I finally picked some stuff and went for it, shearing it of whatever I couldn't be bothered to do of course, and the results! Oh my god the results. 

Yellow Rice or Arroz a la Mexicana

There are some seven billion versions of this, and here is MinCat's very own special hybrid!

1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/4 medium pepper [the first time I used green and yellow and a lot more than 1/4th, so improvise], diced
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup water [or more depending on how soft you want it]
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
less than 1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tbs olive oil
salt to taste


In large pot heat oil. Fry garlic and onions till onions are translucent. Add peppers and fry for a few minutes. Add rice and spices. Stir. Add water, broth and salt. Cover with lid and leave to cook on very low flame. Check on it periodically to see if it needs more water.

Suggestion: Serve with Beans and Plantains

Caribbean Rice with Kidney Beans

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 1 hr

1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped
1 16 oz can kidney beans, washed and drained
1 cup rice
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz tomato paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/s tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
water as per rice instructions, plus 1/2 cup
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs orange juice

Heat the oil in a large pot, preferably nonstick, on medium to low heat. Add garlic, and then onions. When onions are translucent, add peppers. Add cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, bay leaf and chilli powder. Stir for about 1 min. Add tomato paste. Stir for about 1 min. Add kidney beans, rice, water and salt. Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer till rice is cooked, adding more water if necessary. Fluff and transfer to serving dish.