Recipe: Potato and cauliflower biryani

This is the ideal midweek curry recipe, says Cornwall-based food writer Amy Sheppard, who specialises in simple, budget recipes. It freezes well so you can make it ahead of time and it uses the all-in-one-pot method – so there’s less washing up. Use large broccoli florets instead of cauliflower, if you prefer. If you like it spicy, add in some finely sliced fresh red chilli.

Serves 4

• Olive oil, for frying
• 220g medium-sized cauliflower florets
• 350g peeled potatoes, cut into 1-2cm cubes, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½-1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp curry paste (I use mild, but a balti paste would work)
• 900ml vegetable stock
• 350g basmati rice
• small handful of coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

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• Add a generous drizzle of oil to a large non-stick saucepan with a lid, and place on a medium heat. Add the cauliflower and potato and fry (without the lid) for 7 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Stir regularly, so the potato doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, until softened (add a little extra oil if needed).
• Stir in the tomato purée, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander and curry paste. Fry for 1 minute, then stir in the vegetable stock, followed by the rice. Season with salt and pepper, stir once and bring the liquid to a rapid boil.
• When the liquid is bubbling, place the lid on the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the rice is almost done, then remove the lid, stir and turn off the heat. Replace the lid, leaving it there for 5 more minutes, until the rice is cooked. Stir in the coriander and serve.

Taken from HOB: a simpler way to cook: 80 stove-top recipes for everyone by Amy Sheppard, published by Bloomsbury Absolute at £18.99. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £14.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.