Move over fried rice! This spiced rice is our favourite way to use up day-old rice. Packed with flavour and topped off with a creamy, yoghurt tahini sauce and golden pieces of halloumi.
This Week
2 Dec - 8 Dec
Middle-Eastern Inspired Spiced Rice with Halloumi and a Yoghurt Tahini Sauce
- under 1 hour
- 4
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Meal Prep Guide
Make the yoghurt tahini sauce (store in an airtight jar or container)
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp greek yoghurt
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove (crushed)
- ½ lemon (juice)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Method
- Place the yoghurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper into a small bowl; mix well until the sauce is a smooth and creamy consistency.
Pre-cut the vegetables (store in an airtight jar or container)
- 2 red capsicums (sliced)
- 2 eggplants (cut into wedges)
- 1 zucchini (sliced into rounds)
Prepare the pickled onions (optional)
Tips
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 buttery spice mix and get a little crispy.
Shortcuts
Vegetables
- Swap vegetables for roasted cauliflower and red onion.
- Serve alongside a fresh cos salad.
Protein
- Swap halloumi for feta.
- Serve alongside slow-cooked lamb.
Other
- Swap coriander for mint, parsley or a combo.
- Swap almonds for roasted pistachios.
Ingredients
- 2 red capsicums (sliced)
- 2 eggplants (cut into wedges)
- 1 zucchini (sliced into rounds)
- 1 red onion (cut into wedges)
- 3 cups pre-cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup dried dates (finely sliced)
- ¼ cup almonds (roasted and roughly chopped)
- ½ cup fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
- ½ lemon (juice and zest)
- 285g halloumi (sliced)
- Butter and/or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Yoghurt tahini sauce
- 4 Tbsp greek yoghurt
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove (crushed)
- ½ lemon (juice)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Garnish
- Pickled onions (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan bake. Once the oven has reached temperature, place the eggplant, capsicum, zucchini and onion onto large baking trays, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and starting to go crispy.
- Add 2 Tbsp of butter or olive oil to a large pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds, ground cumin, coriander seeds, sesame seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices and seeds are toasted and fragrant. Add the rice and stir well to coat it all in the buttery spice mix.
- Add the roasted vegetables, dates, and almonds. Remove from the heat to cool slightly before adding the coriander, lemon zest and juice; season to taste.
- Place the yoghurt, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper into a small bowl; mix well until the sauce is a smooth and creamy consistency.
- To cook the halloumi start by adding 1 Tbsp of butter to a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the halloumi. Cook for a couple of minutes on either side until golden brown but still soft in the centre.
- To assemble the dish, add the spiced rice to a large plate or platter, place it over the halloumi, dollop over the yoghurt tahini sauce, and then top it with the pickled onions.
Variations
Vegetables
- Swap vegetables for roasted cauliflower and red onion.
- Serve alongside a fresh cos salad.
Protein
- Swap halloumi for feta.
- Serve alongside slow-cooked lamb.
Other
- Swap coriander for mint, parsley or a combo.
- Swap almonds for roasted pistachios.
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