Spinach pilau

Delicately green and fragrant. Just 1 step fancier than normal rice – like when you invite a friend over for dinner during the week and you want to show off a bit but not go overboard. Feeds 4

• 250 g basmati rice
• 1 tbsp veg oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 bay leaf
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 green chilli, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
  • 100 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed in a sieve over the sink
  • Juice of ½ lemon

1. Wash rice well
2. Heat veg oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek and bay leaf
3. Cook until they crackle, then add onion, chilli and salt
4. Saute for 5 mins until softened, then add garlic and ginger
5. Cook for 2 mins more then add the wet rice, stir together
6. Add 450 ml boiling water and thawed spinach
7. Stir once and turn the heat up to bring to the boil. Stick a lid on and turn down to the lowest simmer
8. Cook for 10 mins then turn the heat off and leave without touching for a further 5 mins
9. Add the lemon juice and fluff the rice up before serving