Lebanese-Style Spiced Rice With Crispy Basa

Boil a kettle

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Chop your tomato[es] roughly

Top, tail, peel and grate your carrot[s]

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

Once hot, add the diced onion, chopped tomato, ginger & garlic paste and grated carrot to the pan and cook for 4-5 min or until starting to soften

Once softened, add your ras el hanout and cook for a further 1-2 min or until fragrant

Meanwhile, dissolve your vegetable stock mix in 225ml [300ml] [450ml] boiled water

Add your white long grain rice, vegetable stock, a pinch of salt and pepper and the juice of half your lime[s] to the pan, then give everything a good mix up and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked, then remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Tip: Stir the rice occasionally to stop it from sticking!

Whilst the rice is cooking, pat your basa fillet[s] dry with kitchen paper and cut into bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped basa to a large bowl with your cornflour, ground turmeric and a pinch of salt and pepper and give everything a good mix up until the fish is evenly coated

Once the rice has had 10 min, heat a separate large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the coated basa to the pan and cook for 3-4 min on each side or until crispy and cooked through – this is your crispy basa

Tip: Your fish is cooked when it turns opaque and flakes easily

While the fish is cooking, wash your spring greens then pat it dry with kitchen paper

Rip the leaves off the spring greens, discard the tough stalks, then layer the leaves over each other, roll them up and slice into thin strips, add the sliced spring greens to the pan with the rice and cook, covered, for a further 2-3 min or until tender with a slight bite – this is your Lebanese-style spiced rice

Cut the remaining lime into wedges, then mix a squeeze of lime juice in a bowl with your tahini, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt – this is your tahini sauce