This is a Turkish speciality from ancient times. It makes a great accompaniment to a main dish like tagine or you could use it to stuff vegetables with. It also makes a nice alternative to plain rice with a curry or dal.
230 g coarsely grated carrots
170 g basmati rice, rinsed and drained
6-8 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed
2 shallots or 1 small red onion, finely sliced
zest of 1 large orange
1 handful flaked almonds
salt, pepper and olive oil
parsley to garnish
1. Begin by cooking the rice. Fill a large pot with boiling water and add the rice. Cook the rice for 10 minutes. Drain it through a sieve, pour boiling water through the rice and sieve, then sit on top of the empty pan in the sieve and cover with a cloth and leave to steam for 5 minutes.
2. Sauté the onion in a little olive oil before adding the grated carrot and cardamom seeds. Stir until beginning to wilt. Then add the rice and orange zest along with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Toast the flaked in the oven for a couple of minutes until golden brown and add these to the rice. Stir together and serve, topped with parsley. 