One of our family favourites, this layered, one-pot curry is so so good. A rich layer of mushroom and red bean curry on the bottom, a fragrant layer of perfectly cooked rice in the middle and a succulent layer of cauliflower on top. Sounds complicated but it’s actually very easy. We make this one-pot meal regularly as a mid-week supper. It doesn’t take long to put together, then you just pop it in the oven to bake and you’ve got time to clear up the kitchen and help with homework or whatever else needs doing while it cooks. Then bring the pot to the table and dig in!
We stock organic rice in compostable bags, have you tried the range yet? White basmati is best for this dish as it cooks quickly, but we also have brown basmati and my personal favourite, short grain brown rice. We also have organic tins of tomatoes, beans and more. We do so much more than just fruit and veg. Add some groceries to your next order and save yourself a trip to the supermarket.
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
- 1 heaped tbsp curry powder
- around 10 chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin kidney beans, drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small mug of basmati rice (225g)
- 2 small mugs of water
- 1/4 tsp each: ground cardamom and star anise
- 1 tsp rose petals (optional)
- 1/2 a large cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- coconut flakes
Method
- Turn your oven to 200C and find a deep pot or casserole dish with a lid that is safe both on the hob and in the oven.
- Start by sautéing the diced onion with the oil on a medium-high heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon. After 5 minutes the onion should start to soften and turn golden.
- Then add the mushrooms, garlic, curry powder and season well with plenty of salt (about a tsp) and pepper. Stir for a few minutes to coat the mushrooms in the seasoning and allow the spices to toast and get very fragrant.
- Empty the tin of chopped tomatoes into the pot along with the drained beans. Stir well, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then put the lid on and let the curry simmer for a few minutes while you rinse you rice in a fine sieve.
- Turn off the heat then carefully add the rinsed mug of rice to the curry. Don’t stir it in, add it in a careful layer on top of the curry and smooth it out with the back of the wooden spoon. Then slowly pour two mugs of water over the back of the spoon over the rice so that it doesn’t disturb the layer.
- Add some aromatics to the rice if you like eg cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, star anise, rose petals, saffron… I usually use a mix of ground anise and cardamom and a few rose petals.
- Then place the cauliflower florets carefully into the rice and water, sprinkle them with turmeric, salt and pepper. Put the lid on the pot and put the pot in the oven to bake.
- After 30 minutes, check on the rice. It should be bubbling hot and have absorbed most of the liquid. Taste a grain, if it needs longer put the lid back on and return it to the oven.
- If the rice is cooked through then remove the lid, sprinkle the top of the dish with flaked coconut (or flaked almonds) and return it to the oven to toast. Just 3-5 minutes should be enough. Then it’s ready to serve. Scoop out portions ensuring each bowl gets a bit of each layer and enjoy!
