Vegetable biryani

• vegetable oil↗2 tbsp
• cauliflower↗1small

  broken into small florets

• sweet potatoes↗2large

  peeled and cubed

• onion↗1large

  sliced

• hot vegetable stock↗1l
• hot curry paste↗3 tbsp

  (Madras is good)

• red chilli↗1

  seeded and finely chopped

• saffron↗large pinch of

  strands

• mustard seed2 tsp

  (black or white)

• basmati rice↗500g g
• trimmed green bean140g g

  halved

• lemons↗2

  juice only

• fresh coriandera handful of

  leaves

• salted roasted cashew50g packet g

  nuts

• poppadums

  and raita, to serve (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Pour the oil into a large roasting tin or ovenproof dish and put in the oven for a couple of minutes to heat through. Add all the vegetables to the tin, except the beans, stirring to coat them in the hot oil. Season with salt and pepper and return to the oven for 15 minutes until beginning to brown.

2. 2

   While the vegetables are roasting, stir together the stock, curry paste, chilli, saffron and mustard seeds.

3. 3

   Mix the rice and green beans with the vegetables in the tin, then pour over the stock mixture. Lower the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 190C. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the lemon juice and check the seasoning, then scatter over the coriander and cashew nuts. Serve with a pile of poppadums and a bowl of raita for the non-vegans.