Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large red onion, sliced into rings, 2 cloves of garlic, pressed, ½ to 1 red chilli pepper (to taste), finely chopped, 1 leek, green leaf tops included (or two sticks of celery), in slices, 1 large courgette (400 g), cut into half moons, 1 small roll of smoked tempeh (or smoked lupeh), ½ tsp smoked paprika powder, 1 tsp mild paprika powder, a few threads of saffron, 1 tsp dried oregano, or a sprig of fresh oregano, 2 bay leaves 250 ml rice (preferably brown jasmine rice, whole brown rice or another wholegrain rice), ½ l organic vegetable stock, or more, 175 g (frozen) peas, salt and pepper

Usage

-       In a cooking pot, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Fry the red onion until soft.

-       Add the garlic and chilli pepper.

-       Leave to fry, then add the leek and stir well.

-       Add the courgette and the smoked tempé to the leek with the herbs and spices. Leave to simmer for a couple of minutes.

-       Rinse the rice and add it to the cooking pot with the vegetable stock and peas. Stir well, place the lid on the pot and leave to simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Stir regularly to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

-       Taste midway through cooking and season as necessary. What if the rice is still hard and there isn't much water in the cooking pot? Add a little hot water.

 Tip

·       The cooking time for this dish is about the same as the cooking time for the rice. If you go for a wholegrain rice (such as whole brown rice), allow a cooking time of about 25 to 35 minutes.

·       Smoked paprika powder has a wonderful but overpowering flavour. Start with a small quantity and add more to taste. 

Recipe: FoodLove (Stefanie Baert) book: Ready, Set, Go!