Vegetable Daliya

About this recipe

Vegetable Daliya is toasted bulgur with vegetables chopped small enough that they cook through in the same time as the grain and meld into a unified dish rather than sitting separate. It's healthy, high in fibre, and tastes nuttier than plain rice because of the toasting step that most people skip. Broken wheat (daliya) must be toasted dry in a pan until it smells toasted and tastes nutty—about three minutes. Skip this and you end up with a gluey, one-dimensional dish. Once toasted, it's set aside. Ghee or oil is heated, cumin seeds crackle, and onion and ginger are fried until translucent. Tomato is added and cooked through, then the diced vegetables (carrot, peas) and salt go in. The toasted daliya is stirred through, and stock or water is poured over until the mixture bubbles gently. The pan is covered and the heat is lowered. Daliya takes about 15 minutes to absorb all the liquid and become fluffy and tender. Once cooked, each grain should be distinct but soft, and the vegetables should be tender but not mushy. There's no sauce; the daliya drinks the stock as it cooks. Serve warm as a complete meal, or as a side to dal and sabzi. This is naturally vegan (when cooked in oil), high in fibre, and excellent for kids because the grains feel less alien than rice. It keeps for three days and reheats gently in a pan with a splash of water.