Vegetable Biryani.

One of these great stand-by recipes for just bunging in whatever you have.

This recipe is from a book called Quick Cooking For Diabetes by Louise Blair and Norma McGough.

Now, I have serious issue with cookbooks for diabetes - I have type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes.  I do not eat ANY differently from anyone I know or how I ate before I was diagnosed.  However, I got this book as a gift and it is full of lovely, fairly healthy and quick recipes.  Would actually be better marketed as a family cook book, I think. So, although having a diabetes cookbook makes me cringe, I actually use this book A LOT.  Oh well.

Vegetable Biryani.

Ingredients -

250g long-grain rice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

1 large potato, chopped

1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger  (not for me - I just miss this out)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

150g cauliflower florets

100g green beans, halved

1 tbsp hot curry paste

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

150g plain yogurt

25g raisins

50g cashew nuts, toasted

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 

Method - 

1. Cook the rice in boiling water and drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan, add the carrots, potato, ginger and garlic and fry for 10 minutes until beginning to soften.

3. Stir in the cauliflower, beans, curry paste, turmeric and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute.

4. Stir in the yogurt and raisins.  Pile the rice on to the vegetable mixture.  Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, checking from time to time that it isn't sticking to the pan.

5. Turn the biryani into a large serving dish, sprinkle with the nuts and coriander and serve.