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Monday, 28 March 2016

Leftover Cannellini Pilau

When there's a lot of meat leftover after a Sunday Lunch or midweek roast, I often turn it into a pilau, delicious Indian sweet spicy rice with sultanas and pistachios. Today I wanted to do the same, but failed to be inspired to cook in time to bother with the faff of washing and cooking volatile basmati rice. Therefore, I decided to key into my inner-improv and use the starch of two tins of cannelini beans in place of rice, and have them soak up a good glug of marsala as well as all the evocative spices. They did an excellent job, but unfortunately they lack the moisture of rice, so by my Mother's suggestion I added natural yoghurt- it successfuly cuts through the dryness and counters the sweetness with its tang, plus, you know #healthy bacteria.
It doesn't hurt either that this is very, very quick to make.
If you have any klowunji (Nigella) seeds on hand, they add a nice dimension, but if not, don't worry.
1)Finely chop 1 onion and cook it in 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter). Also add 3 crushed cardamom pod, 3 cloves, some freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp crushed dried chilli, 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 3 crushed garlic cloves, a cm piece of ginger finely minced, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp dried mint and 2 tsp klowunji seeds  (if using). Cook until toasty, then add 200ml marsala.
2)Add 100g sultanas and 200g frozen peas and cook for about 5 minutes until the sultanas are nice and plump. Add 1 tin drained cannelini beans and continue to cook until they're piping hot, also add however much cooked, cold meat you want. Today it was lamb. Also add 100g chopped pistachios and flaked almonds.
3)Just before you serve, add 200ml natural yoghurt beaten with 2 eggs and a handful of chopped mint. Season with salt and be generous as the beans can take a lot.

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