Rice bowl medley recipe

I debated whether this was worthy of a column—in essence it’s an easy, all-in rice dish—but it’s a recipe that I find myself reverting to time after time. When rice is the base of a dish it’s important to season generously and add flavour at every junction. That’s why I tend to give the chorizo an extra boost with some hot smoked paprika as well as heaping on garnishes: spring onions, Nigella seeds, parsley and a generous squeeze of lemon to make sure that it really packs a punch.

Ingredients (serves 4)

350g brown rice
225g chorizo ring, diced
1tbsp hot smoked paprika
1 large head of broccoli (about 350g)
225g frozen peas
1 lemon, juiced
30g flat leaf parsley, washed, picked, chopped
4 spring onions, sliced
1tbsp Nigella seeds

Optional serve:
1-2tsp Shichimi Togarashi, chilli flakes

Method

1. Cook the rice according to pack instructions (usually 20-25 minutes for brown rice)*. Once cooked, leave the lid on so it continues steaming, and before you use it, fluff it up with a fork and season with salt.

2. Meanwhile cut the chorizo ring into bite-sized pieces and fry them in a large pan until they start to release deep red oil and turn crisp. Add the hot smoked paprika to the oil and remove the pan from the heat.

3. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Steam both the broccoli and frozen peas for 2-3 minutes, add them to the rice and then tip it all into the pan containing the crisp chorizo. Add the lemon juice and stir.

4. Divide into bowls and garnish generously with chopped parsley, spring onions, Nigella seeds and (if you have any, and like spice) Shichimi Togarashi or chilli flakes.

TIP: Though this recipe specifies rice, it works well with all sorts of grains—add a little wild rice to the mix to introduce new taste or texture, or switch it entirely for pearl barley, couscous or freekeh.

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