Filling and delicious as a hearty main meal.  The infusion of the rice and potatoes with porcini makes them very savoury and the sauce is delicious. The crispy fried garlic topping is very good but omit it if you wish to keep this a very low fat dish

 

Ingredients serves 2

150ml (5 fluid ounces)* brown basmati rice *I find it easier to double the liquid to rice ratio using a liquid measuring jug

2 to 4 small potatoes (300g, 10 ounces)

7g (a 1/4 of an ounce) of dried porcini mushrooms

a one inch (2 and 1/2cm) piece of ginger

1 to 2 red chillies (depending on how hot you like it!)

5 cloves of garlic (2 for the sauce and 3 for the crispy garlic topping)

a green pepper (capsicum, bell pepper)

3 spring onions

125g (4 ounces) of mushrooms, most types will do, I have used chestnut mushrooms here

1/2 a can (400g, 14 ounce) of black beans, (you can freeze the remainder)

a tablespoon of soy sauce

a handful of frozen peas

a vegetable stock cube, or teaspoon of stock powder

a teaspoon of cornflour (cornstarch)

a teaspoon of agave nectar

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

salad leaves, a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of rock salt to serve (optional)

Method

For the rice

Pour 150ml (5 fluid ounces) of hot water over the dried porcini mushrooms and leave to stand for 10 minutes

Measure out the rice in a measuring jug, rinse and put in a lidded saucepan with an equal amount of water, (150ml, approx 5 fluid ounces) and a pinch of salt

Scrub the potatoes and dice into one inch (2 and a 1/2cm) cubes and put them on top of the rice

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and put the lid on.  Cook like this for 10 minutes and then add the porcini mushrooms and their liquid and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes

In the meantime prepare the sauce:-

For the sauce

Heat a pan or wok with a splash of vegetable oil

Cut the green pepper (bell pepper) into one inch dice removing the pith and seeds and fry this

Brush any soil off of the mushrooms and add these whole to the pan if they are small or halve for larger ones

Stir fry the pepper and mushrooms for 7 to 8 minutes until they start to brown before adding the chillies, garlic and ginger

Chop the one or two chillies, the ginger and 2 of the garlic cloves together and add these

Stir fry for 2 or 3 minutes more

Add 200ml (7 ounces) of water, the stock cube or powder, the tablespoon of soy sauce, the teaspoon of agave nectar and black pepper

Stir well

Add the teaspoon of cornflour to 100ml (3 and a 1/2 fluid ounces) of cold water and add this to the sauce.  Stir and simmer until it thickens

For the optional crispy garlic, finely slice 3 cloves and fry in a separate pan of hot oil until brown

Serve the sauce over the rice and potatoes topped with the crispy garlic and accompanied by some salad leaves.  Finish off with an optional sprinkling of rock salt and a squeeze of lime juice