This tasty Moroccan-inspired spice mix lends layers of flavour to the rice, chickpeas and vegetables, complemented by sweet dates, crunchy almonds and a creamy tahini sauce.
Moroccan-Inspired Fried Rice with Roasted Vegetables and a Creamy Tahini Sauce
- Under 1 hour
- 4
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Ingredients
Spice mix
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
Spiced fried rice
- ⅔ of a half pumpkin (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 2 sweet potatoes (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1 onion (finely sliced)
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice or ¾ cup uncooked
- ⅓ cup almonds (roasted)
- 5 dried dates (finely sliced)
- ½ cup coriander (roughly chopped)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Yoghurt tahini sauce
- ½ cup greek yoghurt
- ¼ cup tahini paste
- 1 garlic clove (crushed)
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
Cos salad
- 2 Tbsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp honey
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- 1 head x petite cos (roughly torn)
Method
- Start by preheating the oven to 200 degrees celsius, fan bake.
- Add all the spices to a small bowl and mix well.
- Add the pumpkin and sweet potato to a large roasting tray (you may need to divide between two trays), drizzle with olive oil and season with salt; sprinkle over ½ of the spice mix. Pop into the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked and golden brown.
- While the vegetables are cooking, make the yoghurt tahini sauce. Place the yoghurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt into a small bowl; mix well until the sauce is a smooth and creamy consistency. Set aside until you’re ready to serve.
- Add approx. 2 Tbsp of olive oil to a large fry pan over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the remaining spice mix and cook until fragrant, approx. 1 minute.
- Add a little extra oil, then the rice and chickpeas; stir well to coat in the spice mixture. Cook undisturbed for approx. 2 minutes, then give it a good stir and cook undisturbed for an additional 2 minutes (this allows the rice to get crispy).
- Add the roasted vegetables, dates, and almonds. Remove from the heat to cool slightly before adding the coriander; season to taste then dollop over the yoghurt tahini sauce.
- Grab a large bowl, add all the dressing ingredients (everything except the cos), mix to combine then add the cos and toss to coat in the dressing.
Tips
- This dish is the perfect way to use day-old rice, as the grains are firmer and drier than when freshly cooked. This allows the grains to get coated in the delicious spice mix and get a little crispy.
- If you haven’t been able to pre-cook your rice, cook your rice as per the absorption method. Once the rice has cooked, spread the rice out on a plate or tray while it’s still hot and give it 5 – 10 minutes to allow the moisture to evaporate.
Variations
Vegetables
- Add or swap vegetables for roasted carrot, parsnip or cauliflower.
- Swap coriander for parsley.
Protein
- You could serve this dish with a protein of choice, like some roasted chicken thighs or halloumi.
Other
- Swap rice for brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
- Swap almonds for pine nuts.
