Eastern Cuisine - Rice of the Action

Tilda has launched a collection of recipes, in association with the Craft Guild of Chefs, to demonstrate the versatility of rice.

The Celebrity Chef Collection is a unique collection of savoury and sweet recipes provided by 12 high-profile chefs to demonstrate that Tilda rice is not just a side dish or for ethnic meals, but can be used in a number of ways.

This recipe by Cyrus Todiwala, who is judging the Eastern cuisine category in the PubChef Awards, is taken from the collection.

Goan-style garlic pilau

Ingredients

750g/1lb 10oz Tilda Basmati Rice - rinsed until the water runs clear

60ml/2fl oz sunflower oil

6 cloves

6 cardamom seeds - cracked

2 red chillies - finely diced

15 garlic cloves - finely diced

3 onions - finely sliced

11/2 green peppers - cut into 1cm dice

11/2 red peppers - cut into 1cm dice

1.5lts/21/2pts chicken stock

3 plum tomatoes - deseeded and cut into 1cm dice

For the dressing

Olive oil

50g/2oz sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

3 tbsp tomato juice

4 tbsp mayonnaise

Method:

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.

Heat a large ovenproof saucepan until hot

then add the oil. Add the cloves and cardamom and fry until the cloves puff up and the cardamoms change colour. Add the red chillies and fry for a minute. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute, stirring frequently.

As soon as the garlic changes colour to a light golden brown, add the onion, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Cook until the onion turns a light golden brown. Add the peppers and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to the boil.

Add the Basmati rice and return to the boil.

Cover and place in the oven for 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the basmati rice is tender. Remove from the oven and stir in the tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with stir-fried chicken, seafood or beef.

Also great when served with yoghurt.