This dish came about when my children wanted something different, flavoursome, with a slight kick, not a biryani or a pilau, I took my inspiration from a medley of Mexican and Indian/Pakistani cusine.
It's now a regular favourite in my household, up there with pilau and biryani.
Spicy Sunset Tomato Rice aka Rice Wars - Rice of the Skywalker
Ingredients
500g Chicken breast diced or 2 tins of chickpeas for vegetarian version.
2 mugs of basmati rice
2/3 Bay leaves
1tbsp of garlic paste
1tsp of ginger paste
6 cloves
8 black peppercorns or 1/2tsp of ground black pepper
6 Green cardomoms
1 black cardomom
11/2 tsps Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 finger size stick of cassia bark
280g of tomato passata
1tsp of tomato paste
1tbsp red pepper paste
1 lemon
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp deggi mirch powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Water or stock ( chicken or veg) 3 mugs,(same one you used to measure rice)
1/2 cup of oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 mug of mix frozen veg.
Method
1) Wash and soak for 30mins to 1hr
2) Add oil to the pan, on medium heat, add whole spices, then add garlic and ginger paste, tomato passata, salt , add cook out for 5 mins.
3)If you are adding chicken, add now and cook for 10 mins on high heat.
4) Add powder spices, chilli powder, deggi mirch, Turmeric powder, red pepper paste and tomato paste, cook for a further 5 mins.
5) Add water or vegetarian/chicken stock and bring to the boil, then add the rice, stir and put the lid on and bring to the boil again.
6) Stir and add powder spices and 1 mug of mix frozen veg on top of the rice and put foil on the lid, then simmer on the lowest heat, use a diffuser, (Dum- cooking with steam) or place in the oven at 100°C, putting your pan on the lowest heat for 30 mins or up to an hour.
7) Squeeze lemon juice on the cook rice in thd pan before serving. (Optional- garnish with coriander or parsley or mint or a combination of any)
NB. I used 1211 rice, which cost a few pounds extra, but it's well worth it.
If you are adding vegetarian or chicken stock, add 1/2 tsp less salt.
How to do Dum with no diffuser, use the lowest setting on your hob, place you tawa on the hob and place your pan on the tawa. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid and foil in-between the pan and the lid, with the reflect side down, facing the rice.