Recipe: Aromatic Turkey Pilaf with Pistachios & Pomegranate

Sarah Randell's lightly spiced one pan supper is perfect for using up those turkey leftovers.

By the time it gets to Boxing Day and beyond, I’m ready for some different flavours. This pilaf ticks all the boxes for me – it’s aromatic with a fresh edge from the lemon, pomegranate and parsley.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• Knob of butter
• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 500g basmati rice
• Seeds of 4 cardamom pods
• A cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp sumac, plus extra for sprinkling
• Generous pinch of saffron (optional)
• 1.2 litres hot chicken stock
• 300g chopped cooked turkey
• 40g shelled pistachios
• Zest of a lemon
• 1 x 100g pomegranate seeds
• 1 x 28g pack flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a deep-sided frying pan. Add the chopped onion and stir over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened

2. Add the rice, cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick, sumac (plus the saffron, if using) and a generous pinch of salt. Stir to coat the rice in the buttery juices

3. Pour in the hot stock, stir once and bring everything to simmering point. Then, add a tight fitting lid and simmer the rice over a low heat for 15 minutes

4. Stir the turkey, pistachios and lemon zest into the pan to heat through, then finally stir in the pomegranate seeds and parsley

5. Serve in warm bowls, topped with a spoonful of yoghurt and a generous extra sprinkling of sumac