In my kitchen

This is a traditional Gujarat dish and a personal favourite. It’s a simple but attractive dish with deep, well-balanced flavours. While it’s delicious eaten on its own, a good accompaniment is a sharp, rich tomato sauce and Chas, a fresh garlic-infused yoghurt drink.

Serves 4

Ingredients: 2 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil; 2 bay leaves; 2 cloves; ½ inch cinnamon; 1 tsp cumin; 3 black peppercorns; 1 tsp mustard seeds; ¼ tsp asafetida; 5 fresh curry leaves; 100g (in total) of the following vegetables: diced onion; aubergine; garden peas; red peppers; courgettes; cabbage; red potato; 5 fresh green chillies, finely chopped; 5 cloves finely chopped garlic; 1 tbsp fresh pureed ginger; 1 tbsp salt; ½ tsp turmeric; 1 tsp garam massala; juice of 1 lemon; a handful of chopped fresh coriander; 150m water; 250g gently washed Bastmati rice.

Method

Warm the Ghee or sunflower oil in a thick-bottomed pot and heat until clear and runny.

Add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, cumin, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.

Leave for a few seconds, then add the diced onion.

While on a low heat individually add the chopped vegetables and stir, starting with the hardest (potato) adding the aubergine last.

Then add the chopped chillies, garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, garam massala, lemon juice, fresh coriander and washed rice. Add 150 ml water.

Put the lid on the pan and leave to cook on low heat for 15 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes, when all the liquid will have been absorbed.

Garnish with a few leaves of coriander.

Christine Austin recommends: Team this aromatic dish with a fragrant, stylish wine such as Pinot Grigio 2010 from Friuli (Marks and Spencer £8.49) that has a rounded, silky texture and a little light spice to combine well with the food. Alternatively go for a soft, smooth light red such as Cuvée de Richard (£4.99 Majestic).