v:gourmet

I’m not sure why the title of this recipe doesn’t include crispy onions because they are the star attraction. The recipe is from Ottolenghi’s new cookbook that he co-authored with Sami Tamimi called Jerusalem – a must-have for any kitchen or coffee table for it’s inspiring recipes, cultural narrative, and sub-text of love, understanding, and global peace. The authors note it as a sephari-inspired dish that can stand as its own centrepiece or accompany other things like chicken or fish if you eat them. Me? I’ll take it straight up with a double dose of onions which I had to protect under armed guard to keep the marauding hordes away. They are just too tasty to resist.

1/3 cup wild rice

2 cups basmati rice

2 tbsps olive oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

1½ tsp curry powder

2 cups cooked chickpeas cooked and drained\

3/4 cup sunflower oil

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

½ tbsp plain flour

2/3 cups currants

2 tbsps chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp chopped dill

sea salt and black pepper

Cook the wild rice in a small saucepan until cooked but still quite firm. Drain and set aside.

Cook the basmati rice. Remove from the heat, lift off the lid, cover the pot with a tea towel, then put the lid on top and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the chickpeas. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the cumin and curry powder, and after a couple of seconds add the chickpeas and a quarter-teaspoon of salt; act fast, or the spices may burn. Stir for a minute or two, just to heat the chickpeas, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Wipe the pan clean, add the sunflower oil and place on a high heat. Once the oil is hot, mix the onion and flour with your hands. Take some of the mix and carefully place in the oil. Fry for two or three minutes, until golden-brown, transfer to kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. Repeat in batches until all the onion is fried.

Finally, add both types of rice to the chickpea bowl, along with the currants, herbs and fried onion. Stir and season to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.