Spicy Pilaf

Serves: 4
Preparation and cooking time: 35 mins
Calories per serving: 500
Total points per recipe: 30
Freezing: Not recommended
Points per serving: 7½

2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons freshly grated root ginger
1 carrot, chopped
1 small aubergine, chopped
3 tablespoons mild curry paste
240g (8oz) white basmati rice
750ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock
60g (2oz) raisins
60g (2oz) flaked almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
To serve:
300ml (½ pint) natural bio-yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander


1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion over a high heat for 2 mins until golden. Reduce the heat, add the garlic, ginger, carrot and aubergine and fry over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 5 mins. Then stir in the curry paste and rice and cook, stirring, for a further minute.
2. Pour in the stock and stir in the raisins. Bring the pan to the boil. Reduce the heat until it simmers gently, then cover and cook for 15 mins.
3. Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt with the chopped coriander.
4. Remove the rice from the heat without removing the lid and leave to stand for 3 mins, then fluff up with a fork and mix in the almonds and coriander. Serve immediately topped with the yoghurt mixture.

We bloody love this one. If you're not mad-keen on coriander, try fresh mint and grated cucumber in the yoghurt instead. Or, leave out the yoghurty bit altogether :P

We also add a Weight Watchers naan to it, which makes it 9 points in total :-O