Name: Chickpea & courgette pilaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 tbsp vegetable oil sunflower oil or olive oil, plus a drizzle to serve; 1 onion finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves finely chopped; ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional); 2 tsp ground cumin; 300g long-grain rice; 1 lemon zested and juiced; 2 medium courgettes (about 300g), cut into 1cm slices; 2 x 400g cans chickpeas drained; pinch of chilli flakes or to taste (optional); small bunch of dill mint or parsley, roughly chopped

Chickpea & courgette pilaf

Make our pilaf with lemon, courgette and chickpeas for an easy vegetarian midweek meal. Flavour with cinnamon, cumin and coriander if you have them in your storecupboard

50 min total 15 min prep 35 min cook 4 407 cal

Instructions

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1 Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until softened. Add the garlic and spices, and cook for 2 mins more until fragrant. Tip in the rice and 450ml boiling water from the kettle along with the lemon zest and ½ tsp salt. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 mins, or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. This process can also be done in the oven: cook everything in a flameproof casserole and transfer to the oven once the rice and water has been added, covering and cooking for 20-25 mins at 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
2 Heat the rest of the oil in a second pan over a medium-high heat and fry the courgette slices for 4 mins until slightly coloured and the edges are just softened. Stir in the chickpeas and cook for 2 mins more until warmed through. Season well.
3 When the rice is cooked through, add half the lemon juice and fluff up the rice with a fork. Add the chilli flakes, if using, and chopped dill to the courgette and chickpea mixture. Season well. Stir in the remaining lemon juice and a drizzle of oil. Serve the rice with the courgettes.