Spiced pilaf with meatballs, currants and baby spinach

Author: Chrissy Freer - B App Sc Nut, Grad Cert Human Nut

Photographer: Mark O'Meara

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Serves: 4

Time to make: 40 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup liquid salt-reduced vegetable stock
1 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed
1 portion reserved meatballs (from Day 2 recipe, see tips)
100g baby spinach
2 tablespoons currants
½ orange, zest
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

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Instructions

1 Set a large pan over a medium heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add onion, celery and carrot to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add garlic and curry powder to pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute or until fragrant.

2 Add rice to pan. Stir to coat grains in oil. Add stock with 1 cup water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer, without stirring, for 12 minutes or until rice absorbs most of the liquid.

3 Add thawed peas to pan with reserved cooked meatballs. Cover pan. Simmer for 3 more minutes. Remove pan from heat and leave to steam for another 2-3 minutes or until rice has absorbed all liquid.

4 Fluff rice with a fork. Add spinach, currants and orange zest to rice-meatball mixture in pan. Season with black pepper.

5 Divide spiced pilaf among serving plates, garnish with parsley and serve.

Variations

Make it gluten free: Use gluten-free meatballs (from Day 2 recipe, see tips). Check curry powder is gluten free and use gluten-free stock.

HFG tip

This recipe is part of our 7 days, 7 dinners feature – make dinners for a week easily, including ‘make ahead’ components to be used in other dishes.

Day 1: Chicken, lentil and kumara curry

Day 2: Meatballs in tomato and eggplant sauce with couscous

Day 3: Roasted pumpkin soup with hazelnut and parmesan toasts

Day 4: Fish stir-fry with broccoli and ginger

Day 5: Roasted pumpkin, leek and mushroom cannelloni

Day 6: Chicken, eggplant and capsicum bake with cauliflower mash

Day 7: Spiced pilaf with meatballs, currants and baby spinach (above)

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 520cal

Kilojoules 2180kJ

Protein 38g

Total fat 15g

–Saturated fat 5g

Carbohydrates 55g

–Sugars 9g

Dietary fibre 6g

Sodium 470mg

Calcium 100mg

Iron 6mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.

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