This is on our weekly meal rotation, it’s spicy and comforting and easy to make. You can also put whatever you like in it. This is the original recipe I started with but you can make it with (probably almost) any vegetables. So far I’ve made it with carrot, suede, spinach and cabbage and they all worked well. I also found adding leeks to the base makes it really tasty too.

Serves 4

Cooking time: 35 mins (plus veg prep)

Ingredients 

2 tbsp curry paste (we tend to use Patak’s medium hot/hot taste)

1 white/brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely sliced

2 red chillies or a few finger chillies (based on how spicy you like it)

2 peppers diced (any colour)

300g basmati rice

700ml vegetable stock 

2 packs cooked peeled prawns

250g frozen peas

Big handful coriander leaves, chopped

Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large wide pan and fry the onions for 4-5 mins until the onion begins to soften. Then add the garlic and chilli and fry for a minute, followed by the peppers and fry for another 5 minutes. 
2. Add the curry paste to the pan – I add in some extra spices but these are optional: 1 big teaspoon of turmeric and garam masala plus a little chilli powder. And stir through the vegetables. 
3. Then add the rice to the pan and stir to coat in the curry paste and vegetable mix. Add the stock, then bring to the boil.
4. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low. Leave the rice to simmer slowly for 15 mins until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked (you might likely need to give this a stir to stop it sticking). 
5. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 mins and then add the prawns for a couple of minutes until everything is cooked through.
6. Scatter over the coriander and serve with lemon wedges. And a nice helping of whatever chutneys/pickles you like. 

There are only two of us so we reheat the leftovers the following day (being very careful to chill it quickly after serving) and it always tastes even better the second time around.