RICE CRISPY PIE RECIPES

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the onions, place in a 28cm non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a splash of water, and cook for 10 minutes, or until golden, stirring regularly. Cut the cauliflower into 2cm florets, finely slicing the stalk and any nice leaves. Stir into the pan with the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in 1 mug of rice and 2 mugs of boiling kettle water (600ml). Prick and add the whole chillies, then roughly snap in the poppadoms and tear in most of the coriander leaves. Stir well, season with sea salt and black pepper, cover, and cook for 15 minutes on a medium-low heat. After this time, the rice will have absorbed all the liquid. Uncover the pan, drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil around the edge and press down with a masher. Reduce to a low heat and cook for 5 more minutes to get a super-golden, thin crispy crust. Rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a spatula. Carefully turn the whole thing out on to a board or platter, then pick over the remaining coriander leaves. Season the yoghurt with black pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and serve on the side.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
• Place the rice in a large bowl, rinse with cold water and drain in a colander until the water runs totally clear. Drain well.
• Add the rice to the pot and boil until the grains are soft on the outside but still hard at the center, about 6 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse under cold water.
• Measure out 1 1/4 cups of the parcooked rice and transfer to a bowl; stir in the yogurt, the 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Melt the oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter together over medium-low heat in a 2- to 3-quart nonstick pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the yogurt rice and spread it evenly to cover the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining rice, mounding it into a pyramid shape. Insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the mound 3 or 4 times to make vents for steam to escape. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the rice starts to steam, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot, first with a clean towel and then with a lid. Steam until the rice is fully cooked and a golden brown crust has formed on the bottom, about 50 minutes.
• Spoon the loose rice onto a platter, then use a firm spatula to remove the crust from the pan. Top the rice with the crust and sprinkle with the parsley and sumac if using. Serve immediately.