Vegetable vegan biriyani with carrot salad

Ingredients

• 400 g rice 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1  cauliflower cut into florets
• 2  potatoes cut into chunks
• 100 g lentils red
• 100 g jicama french trimmed cut in half
• 1 handful curry leaves 
• 2 handfuls peas frozen
• 1 small bunch cilantro leaves 
• 50 g roasted cashews roughly chopped
• 8 servings naan breads 
• 1 large onion roughly chopped
• 1 large piece ginger roughly chopped
• 5  garlic clove 
• 2 tsp curry powder 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1 small to 2 chilies slit green
• 4  carrots 
• 1 pinch brown sugar 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 1 handful cashew pieces roughly chopped
• 1 handful cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• 1 piece ginger shredded
• 1 tsp cumin seeds toasted

Equipment

• food processor
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• peeler

Directions

1. Soak the rice for 30 mins, then rinse in several changes of water until it runs clear. Cover with about 1 cm water, add the saffron (if using), cover the pan, bring to the boil, stir once, then turn off the heat. Leave for 10 mins, covered, then stir again and leave to stand, covered.
2. To make the paste, blitz all the ingredients together in a food processor.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Tip in the paste, then add the cauliflower and potatoes. Cook in the paste to colour, then add the lentils and green beans, and cover with about 400ml water.
4. Add the curry leaves, season with salt, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 mins until the lentils and vegetables are tender
5. Add the peas for the last 2 mins to defrost. Stir the rice through the curry until completely mixed and hot, then spoon onto a platter and scatter with coriander and cashews.
6. For the carrot salad, use a peeler to shave the carrots into ribbons.
7. Sprinkle with the sugar and dress with the lemon juice, then toss with the other ingredients.
8. Serve the biryani on a large platter for everyone to help themselves, with the carrot salad on the side, poppadoms for any vegans and naan bread for the vegetarians.