Spiced pepper pilafs

30-60 minutes 400 kcal or less 5-a-day basmati rice freezable recipes freeze ahead recipes freezer recipes garam masala ginger ground cumin low fat mint over an hour pepper peppers pilaf red lentil red lentils spinach stuffed peppers super healthy vitamin c

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Source

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion , finely chopped

2 garlic cloves , crushed

1cm piece ginger , finely chopped

1 tsp tomato purée

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

200g basmati rice

850ml vegetable stock

140g red lentils , washed and drained

200g bag spinach leaves, chopped

handful mint leaves, chopped

8 peppers

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan with a lid. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, then gently cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the tomato purée and spices, and cook for 1 min more. Add the rice, stir to coat, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, tip in the lentils, cover with the lid and leave to cook over a low heat for 15 mins, until the lentils and rice are cooked. Stir through the spinach and mint (see tip below, if freezing).

Use a sharp knife to slice the top off each pepper. Cut out the middle stalk and scoop out any seeds. Carefully trim the bottoms slightly so they stand upright, but the filling won't fall out. Fill each pepper with the rice mix and place the lid on top. Bake or wrap tightly in cling film or freezer bags and freeze.

To cook, defrost peppers completely if frozen. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the peppers on a lightly greased baking tray and cook for 25-30 mins or until the peppers have softened. Serve with a green salad tossed with cucumber, herbs and a dollop of yogurt.