THE STUDENT VEGETARIAN COOK BOOK

- INGREDIENTS -

8 oz/250 g broccoli

Salt

I Ib/500 g fresh unshelled or 8 oz/250 g frozen peas

8 ozl250 g brown Patna or American long-grain rice

About 3 tablespoons oil

4 ozlI25 g (3-4 sticks) celery

I red pepper

3 cloves garlic

213 inchll.5 cm piece fresh root ginger

3 teaspoons light (preferable) or 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

Small saucepan

Saucepan with a lid

Wok or large saucepan

- METHOD -

Wash the broccoli and cut into florets about I inch/2.5 cm long and if:z-2/3 inchlI-1.5 cm across at the flower end. Bring about 2/3 pintl400 ml slightly salted water to the boil in the small saucepan, put in the broccoli, bring back to the boil and boil briskly for 2 minutes. Turn into a sieve set over a bowl to catch the cooking water, rinse under the cold tap and leave on a plate lined with kitchen paperto dry. (You will need the sieve to drain the peas.)

2 Shell the peas if necessary. Just cover with slightly salted, cold water, bring to the boil and boil gently for 5-8 minutes or until tender if fresh, or for 3 minutes if frozen. Drain over the bowl of broccoli water and set aside.

3 Rinse the rice and put into the saucepan with a lid. Add % pintl450 ml of the pea-and-broccoli liquor, a few grains of salt and two or three drops of oil. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender: test by breaking a grain between the thumb and forefinger. If necessary, add just a little more water. Keep covered until you are ready to serve.

4 Trim the leaf and root ends of the celery, pare off any brClwn streaks, wash and cut into slices 1/4 inch/5 mm thick. Spread on a plate lined with kitchen paper to dry. Wash and quarter the pepper, removing the seeds (which are hot), any dark spots and the white inner membrane; cut the flesh into strips about the same width as the celery and % inch/2 cm long. Set to dry on a second paper-lined plate. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Peel. wipe if necessary and finely slice the ginger, discarding any tough or fibrous pieces.

5 Check that all the vegetables are dry; blotwith more kitchen paper if necessary. Place all the prepared vegetables and the soy sauce within reach. Put 3 tablespoons oil into the wok or large saucepan and warm for a moment or two over high heat. Add the garlic and gingerand allow to fryfora fewseconds (do not stiryet) until just starting to change colour. Add the pepper and stir-fry for jlf2 minutes. Add the celery and stir-fry fora few seconds; add the broccoli and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the celery is tender but still crisp and the broccoli soft but the florets not diSintegrating. Stir in the peas. Add the soy, stir and remove from the heat. Serve on top of the rice.