Golden spiced pilaf with crispy shallots

Combine crispy shallots, warming spices, crunchy nuts and soft fruits to make this stunning pilaf. Serve alone with yogurt, or alongside veg, meat or fish

Prep:20 mins
Cook:40 mins
plus resting

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 419
fat 20g
saturates 4g
carbs 49g
sugars 0g
fibre 4g
protein 9g
salt 0.7g

Ingredients

250g basmati rice
25g butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil , plus extra for deep-frying
1 onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 small cinnamon stick
8 cardamom pods
1 star anise
1 lemon
600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock , or 1 stock cube mixed with hot water from the kettle
6 shallots , peeled, halved and thinly sliced
50g nuts of your choice (we used a mixture of cashews, pistachios and flaked almonds)
200g natural yogurt
large pinch of saffron
125g dried fruit of your choice, such as apricots, cranberries or raisins
handful of coriander , leaves picked

Method

Tip the rice into a saucepan and cover with warm water, then leave to soak for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then drizzle in the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 8-10 mins, stirring until the onion is translucent.
Stir in the ground and whole spices, sizzling them in the butter and oil for 1-2 mins, then drain the rice and add it to the pan. Peel three long strips of zest from the lemon using a vegetable peeler, and drop these into the pan. Stir everything together, pour over the stock and bring to a simmer. Stir again and cover, then continue to simmer for 2 mins more. Turn off the heat and leave to stand, without opening the lid, for 15 mins.
Pour a 2cm depth of oil into a deep pan or wok set over a medium heat and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the shallots in two batches, sizzling for 8 mins per batch until golden brown. This will take a while, and they catch quickly, so watch closely to prevent this. Spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon, then sprinkle with salt and leave to cool slightly.
Toast the nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 2-3 mins until golden. Mix the yogurt with the saffron and a pinch of salt in a small serving bowl and set aside.
Uncover the rice and check it’s ready – it should be tender and all the liquid should have been absorbed. If not, cover and leave to stand for another 5 mins. Once cooked, fluff up the grains using a fork, and stir through the nuts and dried fruit. Tip out onto a serving platter, removing the whole spices and lemon peel as you do. Scatter over the crispy shallots and the coriander leaves, then serve with the saffron yogurt on the side.