Vegetable Cafreal pilau

Cafreal masala is generally used for meats - chicken and fish included.  Because I love the flavors of this spice mix, I incorporated it into a vegetable pilau.  The pilau has a lovely mild green color when it is finished and provides the family with a good portion of your daily vegetables and fiber.  To complete this vegan alternative, lightly roasted nuts can be added to the completed dish to add more nutrients and protein.

This is a great way to use up any vegetables in the house before they go bad. I used cauliflower, mushrooms and okra.  Please feel free to add any favorite vegetables that the family likes- peas, corn and carrots are a great addition for children.

Save the leftover Cafreal masala to marinade some Portabello Mushrooms.  This is what I have done and will grill them tomorrow.

Ingredients

 For Cafreal Masala
2 green chillies( or to taste)
2 teaspoons chopped ginger ( about an inch)
4 big cloves of garlic chopped ( about 3 heaped teaspoons minced)
about 1 1/2 cups coriander ( with stalks cut just below the leaves )
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 level teaspoon ground cumin or jeera
juice of 2 limes

Mixed vegetables
Sliced Mushrooms ( I had 4 cups)
1 whole Cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
About 3 large potatoes cut into cubes or 6-8 small potatoes halved or quartered 
2 cups sliced okra
2 cups uncooked basmati rice

A few Coriander leaves and a handful of almonds for garnish

Method

1. Rinse the rice till the water runs clear.  Cover in water and soak for at least 15 minutes.

2.  For the Cafreal masala
Put all the ingredients for the cafreal masala into a blender  ( I used my Magic Bullet), add the lime juice and blend till smooth.  Keep aside

3.  Prepare all your vegetables.
 Add a little oil to a non-stick fry pan (or use a kitchen oil spray) and gently fry each of the vegetables separately with a little salt.  The cauliflower can be lightly browned.  The okra should be cooked until it is no longer sticky.   Do not be concerned if the vegetables are not fully cooked because they will cook with the rice.
The potatoes can be placed in a covered microwave safe dish with a tablespoon of water and cooked on high for about 3-5 minutes until cooked.  Keep aside

4. Put all the vegetables (except the potatoes) back in the pan.  Add 2 heaped tablespoons of the cafreal masala and stir to mix.

Add the drained rice and stir gently to mix. Cover with water about 1/2 inch over the rice, add a little more salt ( about 1 teaspoon) for the rice and gently stir.  Cover the dish and cook on low to medium heat until the rice is cooked and the water absorbed. I put the timer on for 20 minutes and the rice was perfectly done in that time.  Remove from the heat and leave aside for 5 minutes.  Fluff the pilau with a fork.

Note: If you use a rice cooker. Put the vegetables, masala and rice as above in the cooker. Lastly add the water according to your rice maker's instructions, salt to taste and stir one last time.  Turn the cooker on and that's it.

Using a non stick frying pan, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and add the potatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover the potatoes  with the oil.  On medium to high heat let the potatoes brown.  Add a little paprika and stir to coat.  Remove when they are nicely brown and keep aside.

In the same pan add a handful of almonds, whole or slivered.  I used slivered almonds and kept it on medium high heat till lightly toasted, not burnt.  The almonds will brown in seconds so keep an eye on it and remove immediately.

To serve, spoon the pilau into a nice wide dish.  Save some potatoes for garnish and gently mix the rest into the dish.  Distribute the remaining potatoes on the top.  Decorate with a few fresh coriander leaves.  Sprinkle the roasted nuts all over the top.

Approximate nutritional values per serving, based on 12 servings
Calories 236/ fat 2.8 g/ Total carbs 46.1 ( includes 5.2 g fiber ) / Total protein 7.6 g