Morrocan style rice: Chicken or Sweet Potato

Morrocan Style Rice with Chicken

Morrocan Style Rice with Sweet Potato

I was lost and staring aimlessly at the ingredients in my cupboard this evening when my friend Claudia called with the genius idea of mixing them all together with a bit of spice. The vegetarian was happy with his sweet potato combo while I enjoyed a tasty bit of free-range chicken. 

Serves: 2 with leftovers for lunch

200g rice
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic

2 peppers 1 green, 1 yellow, chopped into chunks

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp chilli flakes

Handful parsley and mint, roughly chopped

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Boiling water

V: sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

M: 1 free range chicken breast, cut into chunks

1 chicken stock cube, crumbled

Fry onion and garlic in olive oil until soft then stir in the spices until distributed evenly. Add the peppers and fry for a few minutes. Divide the mixture between two pans.

V: Par-boil the sweet potato in salted water, about 7 minutes, drain and stir into one of the pans along with the vegetable stock cube and 100g of rice.

M: Add the chicken to the other pan and fry for a few minutes until the colour changes then stir in the rice and stock cube.

Pour boiling water into each pan to just cover the rice. The ratio 2:1 can help which means adding about 200g of boiling water into each pan. Stir, season and cover each pan using tin foil and a lid to ensure minimum steam gets out. Cook on a low heat for 12 minutes and leave to stand for 5 minutes before stirring in the chopped herbs and serving.

Halloumi/Chicken couscous warm salad

A char-grilled red pepper adds a light smokey flavour to this dish, which works well with the garlic in the spinach and the tangy lemon wedges.

4 tomatoes, cut into eighths
2 handfuls of spinach
1 red pepper
1 small clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
200g couscous
Olive oil
Few leaves of basil, torn
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Sea salt and black pepper

Vegetarian:1/2 pack halloumi, sliced
Meat-eater: 1 chicken breast

Place the red pepper directly onto a flame for 20mins, turning every 5mins until the red pepper is almost completely black. (alternatively grill it until a similar effect takes place). Put the char-grilled pepper in an air-tight plastic bag leaving the skin to steam. Remove after 10mins and delicately scrape off the char-grilled skin, leaving you with a soft flesh. Slice the pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and season before setting aside.

Meanwhile marinate the tomatoes in a bowl with olive oil, basil and plenty of salt and pepper.

V: Fry the halloumi in a non-stick frying pan for a few minutes on each side until it browns.
M: Place a square of clingfilm over the top of the chicken and bash a few times until it's about 1inch thick. Remove the clingfilm, season the chicken, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Cut into slices before serving.

To cook the spinach, place the garlic in a glug of olive oil while it's still cold (I find this stops it from burning). Fry the garlic lightly over a medium heat, stir in the spinach and cook for a few minutes.

When you are ready to assemble the salad, first place the couscous in a large bowl, gently pour over boiling water until it just covers the couscous, drizzle with olive oil and season. Give the bowl a gentle shake to ensure the water is evenly distributed and cover with a lid for 5mins. Use a fork to fluff the couscous before serving.

To serve the salad, distribute the couscous between two bowls, layer the tomatoes, peppers, spinach and your V or M option along with a wedge of lemon.