Washing up is probably nobody’s favourite after-dinner activity (incidently mine is to slump on the sofa and finish off a glass of wine) but it needs to be done eventually. One pot meals are great for those of us who just can’t be bothered!

This spicy rice dish makes a great lunchtime snack (make it the night before then heat it up in a microwave when you’re hungry) or can be an accompaniment to something meaty – I had this with leftover chicken drumsticks.

Ingredients

basmati rice
boiling water
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (chilli powder)
1/2 red onion
1/2 green pepper
1 or 2 red chillis
a handful of peas

Method

Chop the onion, green pepper and chilli. In a large, deep frying pan or wok, fry these ingredients for a few minutes until they soften.

Add the rice into the pan, followed by the water. I used 1/2 a mug of rice (enough for two people, feel free to use more if you want more) and roughly 1 1/4 mugs of boiling water. Stir the rice, making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Tip: You may want to add the water in bit by bit as it gets absorbed. This will make sure you don’t use too much water and get soggy rice.

Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala (if using). Bring the rice to the boil and add the peas.

Simmer until the rice has absorbed the water and serve (then wash up!).

Not only is tomato salsa easy to make but you can use it in so many ways: as a dip for potato wedges, a relish for burgers or stir it into a boring pasta sauce to give it a kick. I like to dollop it in chicken fajitas.

When buying a pre-made salsa from a shop you can never be sure what you’re getting. Salsa varies from the mild, fruity versions to the incredibly spicy, garlicy versions. It can swim in a liquidy sauce or just be a tomato pulp – when making your own salsa it really is up to you.

This recipe is a tangy, spicy and saucey variety but you can alter the ingredients to match your taste.

Ingredients

4 ripe tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1 large green chilli
1/2 a red onion
1/2 a lime (optional)
a handful of coriander leaves
a small squirt of passata (sieved tomatoes)
a drop of olive oil

Method

Finely chop the tomatoes, garlic, chilli, onion and coriander leaves. You can de-seed the chilli if you want to tone down the spice but I’ve left them in for this recipe.

Put the ingredients into a bowl and add a dribble of olive oil and squeeze the lime all over.

Now add the passata. Do this slowly and carefully so you can get the consistency you want. Leftover passata can be used to make a pasta sauce.

Alternatively, you could substitute the fresh tomatoes and passata for a tin of chopped tomatoes which should contain all the juice you need to make the sauce.

No cooking or warming required – just stir, serve and enjoy!

If you make more than you need place the leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.