I use the Rapunzel brand organic powdered vegetable stock, it’s cheap and well-flavoured. Serve the pilaf with your favourite spicy chutney. My pickle of the moment is Manoraj Indian-style lemon pickle.
Ingredients
| ½ cup | Pearl barley (Main) |
| 3 Tbsp | Extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 | Red onion, finely chopped |
| 1 | Carrot, diced 1cm |
| 1 Tbsp | Cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan over moderate heat until fragrant and just starting to darken in colour |
| 1 | Cinnamon stick |
| 1 tsp | Salt |
| ½ cup | Golden raisins |
| ½ cup | Almonds, roasted and unsalted, chopped |
| 1 cup | Long grain rice (Main) |
| 700 g | Pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks (Main) |
| 1 tsp | Ground turmeric |
| 1 Ltr | Vegetable stock |
| 150 g | Cows feta, crumbled |
| 30 g | Pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan over moderate heat until they pop and brown |
| 1 small handful | Coriander leaves, for serving |
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Directions
- Heat the oven to 200C.
- Bring a saucepan of unsalted water to the boil and add the barley. Boil 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well and reserve.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over moderate heat. Add the onion, carrot, cumin seeds, cinnamon, salt, raisins and almonds. Fry gently without browning for about 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
- Add the barley, rice and pumpkin and mix well. Add the turmeric and stock, mix well, bring to the boil. Pour into a wide casserole dish, cover, and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and gently fluff up the pilaf with a fork. Sprinkle the feta, pumpkin seeds and some coriander leaves on top and serve with your favourite spicy chutney.
