Fragrant Sweet Potato Saag Masala With Pilau Rice

Boil a kettle, then peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely slice your garlic

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion and cook for 5 min or until softened

Meanwhile, wash your spinach, then add to a colander and pour boiled water all over it until it's wilted

Rinse the wilted spinach under cold running water until it's cool enough to handle

Once cool, squeeze as much water out of the spinach as you can then chop it roughly

Reboil a kettle

Chop your potato[es] (skins on) into large, bite-sized pieces

Add the sliced garlic, garam masala and chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) to the softened onion and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Add the chopped sweet potato to the pan and cook for 3 min further or until starting to brown

While the sweet potato is browning, dissolve your vegetable stock mix, tomato paste and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar in 300ml [390ml] [510ml] boiled water – this is your tomato stock

Once the sweet potato has browned, add the tomato stock and chopped spinach to the pan

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until the sweet potato is fork-tender – this is your fragrant sweet potato saag masala

While the sauce thickens, crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Melt a knob of butter in a pot with a matching lid over a medium heat

Once melted, add the crushed cardamom pods to the pot and cook for 30 secs or until fragrant

Add your basmati rice to the pot and cook for 1 min further, then remove the pan from the heat and add 250ml [325ml] [500ml] cold water

Tip: Be careful when adding the water to the pan, it may splash!

Return the pan to the heat and bring to the boil over a high heat, once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked, once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving – this is your pilau rice

While the pilau rice is cooking, chop most of your coriander finely, including the stalks (save some leaves for garnish!)

Stir the chopped coriander through the pilau rice, discard the cardamom pods