It’s a mad-sounding but truly brilliant combination of a classic tin of baked beans, paneer and warming Indian spices. Trust me, it works! The beans in their tomato sauce add a lovely sweetness and body that is just wonderful. For the chilli, I used a fresh red one from my garden for a nice kick, but you can use a pinch of chilli flakes or leave it out entirely if you’re not a fan of heat. Quick and full of flavour, this makes a fantastic midweek meal and serves two generously, three if you’re adding chips, as I did.

Ingredients.

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 150g basmati rice
• 300ml cold water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 225g block of paneer (approx.)
• 1 medium onion
• A small knob of fresh ginger
• 1 chilli
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g tin of baked beans
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional: a small bunch of fresh coriander

Equipment.

• Small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
• Medium, non-stick frying pan or sauté pan
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Fine grater (see quick wins and skip the grating)
• Wooden spoon

Quick wins.

• Use frozen, chopped garlic.
• Swap the knob of ginger for ginger puree
• Use half a teaspoon of chilli flakes rather than a fresh chilli.

Prep.

1. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Peel and finely grate the piece of fresh ginger. Finally, finely chop the chilli (if you prefer less heat, remove the seeds!)
2. Cut the paneer into cubes, about 2cm. If using, roughly chop the leaves from your bunch of fresh coriander and set aside for later.

Cook.

1. Place the small saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Once it’s warm, add half of your chopped garlic and fry for about 1 minute until it’s fragrant and just starting to turn a light golden colour.
2. Add the rice to the pan and stir for a minute to coat it in the garlicky oil. Pour in the 300ml of cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, pop the lid on, turn the heat down to a low setting, and let it simmer gently for 11 minutes. Don’t be tempted to lift the lid!
3. While the rice is simmering, place your frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the other tbsp of oil. Carefully add the paneer cubes and fry them for 4-6 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
4. In the same pan, turn the heat down to medium and add the chopped onion. (If needed, add another tbsp of oil) Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent.
5. Add the remaining garlic, the grated ginger, and the chopped chilli to the pan. Cook for another minute, occasionally stirring.
6. Stir in the ground coriander, smoked paprika and turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices and let them bloom.
7. Next, stir in the tomato purée and cook for one more minute. Now, tip in the entire tin of baked beans (sauce and all!) and the fried paneer cubes. Give it all a good stir to combine.
8. Bring the curry to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 7-10 minutes, allowing all the flavours to combine.
9. By now your rice timer should be up. Turn off the heat under the rice but leave the lid on to let it steam for a final 5 minutes. Stir the garam masala into the curry, and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Enjoy.

Serve the curry straight away with a generous portion of the fluffy garlic rice, and scatter over the fresh coriander for a final touch. Goes nicely with chips, too. Perhaps some masala chips would be nice?