Ingredients

Method

• 2 cobs sweetcorn
• 4 T butter
• 1 T Woolworths spicy seasoning
• 2 T ground turmeric
• 245 g plain yoghurt
• 396 g basmati rice
• 1⁄4 cup sea salt
• 150 g Woolworths mixed seedless raisin selection
• 3 T canola oil

Method

Ingredients

1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and blanch the corn. Drain, then place on a hot grill and char. Cut the kernels off the cobs and set aside.

2. Heat 2 T butter in a pan. Fry half the corn for 5 minutes, then add the spicy seasoning and 1 T turmeric. Fry for a further 5 minutes, then set aside to cool. Once cooled to room temperature, fold in 200 g yoghurt. Chill until ready to use.
3. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then drain. Add the salt and remaining turmeric, making sure the water tastes as salty as the ocean. Add the rice and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until slightly undercooked. Strain the rice through a sieve and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly. Add the remaining corn and the raisins to the rice. Place 1 cup rice in another bowl and combine with the remaining yoghurt.

4. Heat the oil and remaining butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick pan over a medium heat. Add the yoghurt-and- rice mixture and spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Pile the remaining rice into the pan. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently make five or six holes into the rice to the bottom of the pan, which will be gently sizzling. The holes will allow steam to escape from the bottom layer of rice so that a crisp crust can form. There should be enough oil in the pan so that you can see it bubbling up the sides. Add a little more oil
if necessary.

5. Cook the rice over a medium heat, rotating the pan every 3–4 minutes so that the rice browns evenly, until you start
to see a golden crust begin to form on the sides of the pan, about 15–20 minutes. Once you see the crust turn from pale amber to gold, reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 15–20 minutes. The edges of the crust should be golden, and the rice should be cooked through.

6. To unmould the rice, carefully run a spatula along the edges of the pan to loosen the crust. Tip out any excess oil at the bottom of the pan into a bowl, and then carefully flip the rice onto a platter or cutting board. The crust should be a deep golden brown. Dollop on the corn-and- yoghurt mixture to serve.

Find more rice recipes here

Photographs: Toby Murphy
Production: Khanya Mzongwana and Leila-Ann Mokotedi