Place the basmati rice in a sieve and rinse under a running tap, agitating the rice grains with your hands to rinse away as much starch as possible. When the water that runs through the sieve is no longer cloudy, tip the rice into a bowl and cover with 2cm fresh water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large, deep, frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is melted and bubbling noisily, add the onions along with a pinch of salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are soft and well on their way to being caramelised – about 12-15 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, then stir in the beetroot, pour in the wine and cover the pan with a lid. 

Cook – without peeking – for 8 minutes, then remove the lid and check the tenderness of the beetroot with a sharp knife. If it still feels hard, continue to cook for a few minutes with the lid on (adding a splash of water if all of the wine has evaporated). Once tender, turn the heat down to medium and stir through the cashews, chillies, ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Cook for a minute until fragrant, then add the dried spices. 

Drain the rice, then stir it through the spiced vegetable mixture, along with the lime peel. Pour over the vegetable stock, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the sliced Chioggia beetroot in the lime juice in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave it with the lid on for 8 minutes before serving. This will help a crispy rice base to form.

Serve the rice in the pan at the table with the pomegranate seeds and coriander sprinkled over the top. Arrange the Chiogga beetroot slices in the middle of the rice and serve immediately with a dollop of Greek yoghurt on the side.

© Recipes extracted from Love Vegetables by Anna Shepherd. Photography © Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton.