Thai Roasted Pak Choi with Lemon Rice
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Pak choi steals the spotlight in this lemony Thai-inspired rice dish – taking its star turn dressed in a fiery mix of ginger and chilli and topped with crisp golden shallots, coriander and toasted sesame seeds.
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643 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • A thumb of ginger
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 cayenne chilli
  • 50g tamari
  • 1 lemon
  • 150g white basmati rice
  • 1 pak choi
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 courgette
  • 4 shallots
  • 1 lime
  • 25g sesame seeds
  • A handful of coriander
From your kitchen
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 400ml boiling water
  • Sea salt
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Peel and grate the ginger and garlic clove. Finely chop the chilli, flicking out the seeds for a milder kick. Whisk together with the tamari and 2 tbsp olive oil to make a marinade.

  • 2.

    Halve the pak choi lengthways through the root base. Rinse the halves under cold water to remove any dirt. Peel the carrots. Cut them into thin slices then cut the slices into thin matchsticks. Carve the courgette into ribbons using a veg peeler, stopping when you get to the seeded core. Finely chop the core.

  • 3.

    Place the pak choi cut-side up in a baking dish. Pour over the marinade. Scatter the carrots and courgette around the pak choi. Slide it into the oven for 15 mins. The halves should be softened and slightly charred.

  • 4.

    Zest the lemon. Pop the zest into a large pan. Tip the rice into a bowl and cover with cold water. Whisk with a fork till the water goes cloudy. Drain and rinse.

  • 5.

    Tip the rice into a pan with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Pour in 300ml boiling water. Cover, set on the heat and bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer for 6 mins. Take the pan off the heat. Set aside, lid on, for 4-5 mins to finish cooking the rice.

  • 6.

    While the rice cook, peel and thinly slice the shallots. Zest the lime. Cut the zested lime into wedges and set aside.

  • 7.

    Heat a frying pan. When the pan is warm, tip in the sesame seeds. Toast for 2-3 mins till golden. Tip out into a bowl. Put the pan back on the heat. Drizzle in 1 tbsp oil. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt. Stir and fry for 3-4 mins till golden and crisp.

  • 8.

    Taste the rice. Add a squeeze or 2 of lemon juice to taste. Spoon the rice onto 2 plates. Top with the pak choi, courgette ribbons and carrots, pouring over the sauce from the tray. Scatter over the sesame seeds and crisp shallots. Finish with the coriander leaves and lime zest. Serve with the zested lime wedges for squeezing over.

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