Smoky spiced veggie rice

Try this vegan take on a jambalaya, full of fiery and smoky flavours and bursting with vegetables. It's healthy, low in fat and calories, yet big on flavour

Prep:15 mins
Cook:1 hrs

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 447
fat 11g
saturates 2g
carbs 69g
sugars 20g
fibre 11g
protein 11g
salt 0.6g

Ingredients

25g cashews
4 tbsp olive oil
1 corn cob
250g rainbow baby carrots, halved lengthways
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 large red peppers, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1½ tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle paste
2 tbsp tomato purée
200g heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g can cherry tomatoes
300g long-grain rice, washed
400ml vegetable or vegan stock
1 tbsp red wine vinegar (vegan varieties are readily available)
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 spring onions, finely sliced

Method

Dry-fry the cashews in a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then roughly chop. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan over a high heat, then fry the corn on each side for 20 seconds to char. Remove from the pan, set aside, then tip in the carrots and fry for 5 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and celery for 10 mins until soft and slightly coloured. Tip in the peppers and garlic, then fry for another 5 mins before adding the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, chipotle paste and tomato purée. Fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant, then add the cherry tomatoes and fry for another 2 mins.
Stir in the kidney beans, canned tomatoes, rice, stock, vinegar and sugar, then stir until everything is combined. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and simmer with a lid on for 35-40 mins on a medium-low heat, stirring halfway through, until the rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.
Slice the corn off the cob and mix it through the rice along with the carrots. Season and garnish with the spring onions and cashews.