Chickpea Pilaf with Spinach

This is a quick, healthy and delicious family dinner for a Meatfree Monday.  My daughters like it with some poppadoms on the side and mango chutney.  Give it a go, it works well as a side dish too.

1 ½ cups basmati rice

1 Tblsp olive oil

3 carrots, roughly diced

1 pepper, roughly diced

1 leek, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

60g raisins

¼ tsp turmeric

2 tsp mild curry powder

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

400ml vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube

300ml water

200g spinach

100g slivered almonds, roasted (keep 1 Tbsp for sprinkling over as a garnish)

2 Tblsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 Tblsp chopped fresh mint leaves

Low-fat natural yogurt and more chopped fresh coriander leaves to serve

Put the rice in a sieve and rinse it under cold running water until the water runs clear. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the roughly diced carrots, pepper, leek, garlic, raisins and spices. Cook, stirring it occasionally for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables, particularly the carrots, are tender.

Add the chickpeas, rice, stock, and water.  Bring everything to the boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook everything with the lid on the saucepan for 12 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and put the spinach over the top of the rice.  Replace the lid on the saucepan and stand for 8 minutes.  Uncover the saucepan again and add ¾ cup almonds, and the chopped fresh herbs.  Stir everything together until well combined.  Serve topped with some yoghurt, chopped fresh herbs and the remaining almonds.