Spiced Bean and Mince Pilaf

So, I have been super busy and vaguely stressed out recently. That, combined with the boyfriend nipping away for a teaching week, meant that I didn’t really have the need or time to cook much. So, I turned to my fridge and cupboards the other day and was GOBSMACKED to find that I had run out of pretty much all beans as well as garlic and spring onions. The cupboards were basically bare. It was a modern day fairytale-nightmare.

So, I went off on the mammoth task of acquiring groceries, which was highly successful.

However, I am kind of terrible at planning and if you combine that with just assuming that I have certain ingredients, it can make a recipe for disaster. So, I currently have NO tins of chickpeas (despite doing a massive grocery shop) but I have two full tubs of baking powder AND of bicarbonate of soda. And a ton of lentils.  And loads of coconut milk. None of which I need for this recipe, unfortunately.

So, this post is brought to you by the letter S. For “Sorry, I don’t have any chickpeas.” Borlotti beans are close enough. Not really. But still delicious.

I’m kind of newly obsessed with turkey mince. It’s really versatile, healthy, and quick to cook. And it goes really well here, though I’m thinking lamb mince would also have been killer. Other substitutions – you can always use white rice instead of brown, but I’m trying to make healthier choices at times when I’m not eating a Chinese takeout.

Easily serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tsp oil
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 3 cardamom pods, bruised
• 1 cinammon stick
• 1 cup of brown rice
• 650ml chicken stock
• 1 pepper
• 1 leek
• 400g turkey mince
• 1 tin of borlotti beans (or chickpeas)
• ½ bunch coriander
• ½ bunch parsley
• Handful of pine nuts

Method

Heat 1 tsp of oil.

Chop the onion and 2 garlic cloves and add to the oily pan. Fry gently for a few minutes.

Mix together all the ground spices, and add half of this to the onions, plus the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. 

Stir and mix well for a few minutes. Add in the rice and stir for a few minutes. 

Then pour over 500lm of the chicken stock, DON’T STIR, pop a lid on and let cook for 25 minutes until fluffy (brown rice always takes FOREVER to cook).

Now, get a start on the rest. Chop the remaining garlic clove, the leek and the pepper and add to a pan which is warming with oil. Fry until softened. 

Add in the turkey mince. Cook and break the mince up into smaller bits as you go along. Drain any excess oil.Stir through the remaining spices, and let simmer for a few minutes.

Pour over the remaining 150ml of stock and the beans, and simmer until the rice is cooked.

When the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and fork through the parsley, coriander and pine nuts.

Finally, add in the mince mixture until it all comes together fragrantly and deliciously.

Dig in.