Veggie pilaf WITH CHICKPEAS, APRICOTS & TOASTED SEEDS

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsey
• 1 x 200 tin of chickpeas
• olive oil
• 1 organic vegetable stock concentrate
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 150 g basmati or jasmine rice
• 1 lime
• 60 g dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon pepitas
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon harissa

Method

1. Peel the onion and finely slice with the garlic, then peel and halve the carrot lengthways and finely slice at an angle. Pick the parsley leaves and put aside, then finely chop the stalks. Drain the chickpeas.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, wide, non-stick pan on a medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and parsley stalks, along with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cook gently with the lid on for 10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour 300ml of water into a small pot, then add the stock concentrate and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
4. When the vegetables have softened, add the turmeric. Then add the rice. Finely grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice, stirring regularly.
5. Roughly chop and add the apricots along with the chickpeas, then pour in the hot stock. Bring to the boil, simmer for 2 minutes, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Turn off the heat and leave the pan to one side, with the lid on.
6. Meanwhile, put a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, scatter in the pepitas and toast until lightly golden.
7. Decant the yogurt into a small bowl. Make the harissa into a paste with 2 teaspoons of water, then swirl through the yogurt.
8. Fluff up the rice with a fork, then divide between plates. Sprinkle the pepitas over the pilaf, then finely chop and scatter over the parsley. Serve with spoonfuls of the spicy yogurt.