By adding just a few extra ingredients, you can turn plain rice into a colourful and nutritious veggie-friendly side dish.

Ingredients

• 65 ml butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 5 ml (1 t) ground cumin
• 375 g long grain rice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 liter (4 C) prepared chicken stock, hot
• 2 x 400 g cans Rhodes Quality Mixed Vegetables, drained

Method

1. Heat 45 ml (3 T) of the butter in a medium deep saucepan.
2. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat or until the onion begins to soften.
3. Add the garlic and the cumin and fry for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the rice and stir until the rice is well coated in the butter mixture.
5. Reduce the heat and stir the rice over low heat to lightly toast it for a further 2 minutes.
6. Add the hot stock and a little salt and stir well.
7. Cover the saucepan with a fitting lid or tin foil and place the saucepan into an oven preheated to 180°C.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes.
9. Use a fork to stir in the Rhodes Quality Mixed Vegetables and separate the rice grains.
10. Replace the cover and return to the oven.
11. Bake for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked through and has absorbed all the chicken stock.
12. Stir in the remaining butter, until it is melted.
13. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
14. Serve hot.