Rice with butternut squash and chickpeas

Ingredients (2 portions)

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • ½ red pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas
  • ½ tsp sweet paprika
  • a few fresh sage leaves
  • 150 g basmati rice
  • 500 ml boiling water
  • Pinch of dried herbs, salt and pepper

Equipment: 1 deep-sided pan with a lid

 

Method

1. Chop the onion and pepper into 1 cm cubes.

2. Cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and discard, remove the skin, and cut into 1 cm cubes.

3. Heat the oil in a deep-sided pan, then add the onion, pepper, butternut squash and crushed garlic and cook for about 10 minutes over a medium heat, until the squash is beginning to brown.

4. Chop the sage and add to the pan along with the paprika, rice and chickpeas. Stir for 1 minute.

5. Add the water, salt, pepper and herbs and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and squash both look ready.

Tips:

This tastes delicious with a little feta cheese sprinkled on top.

If you want to spice it up a bit, add a little cinnamon, cumin and turmeric instead of the sage and paprika.