Maltese Ross il-Forn (Baked Rice)
Here in Malta, we especially enjoy Ross il-Forn when it's baked by our Grandma!
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Chopping Board
- Glass Baking Dish (30cm x 25cm)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 5 Cloves Garlic
- Herbs & Spices to season 1 teaspoon each of; medium curry, paprika, oregano, basil
- Pinch of Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tomato Cube
- 350 g Rice Parboiled
- 450 g Lentils
- 500 g Riced Vegetables
- 150 g Veggie Mince
- 400 g Tomato Polpa or fresh tomatoes
- 700 g Tomato Passata
- 1 tbsp Sundried Tomato Kunserva or normal Kunserva (tomato paste)
- 185 g Canned Peas
- 25 g Nutritional Yeast
- 30 g Vegan Grated Cheese
- 1-2 Tbsp Cornflour
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a medium sized saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until golden brown.
- Add soy sauce, herbs, spices, salt & pepper.
- Add in the riced or chopped mixed vegetables and lightly fry for around 5 minutes.
- Mix in the soy mince and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato polpa, passata and kunserva. Mix the ingredients well and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes on a low heat.
- When the sauce is ready add in a tablespoon of cornflour to thicken the mixture. If you use fresh tomatoes, you might need to add in more cornflour to reduce the amount of water in the mixture.
- While your sauce is simmering, bring 1.5 L to 2 L of water to a boil and add in the cube, rice and lentils. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Drain the rice from any excess water and mix into the sauce. Add the can of peas to the mixture.
- Place into a glass dish and top with nutritional yeast and cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Notes
If you're wondering why this serves 7, it's because there were some leftover rice and sauce, which I cooked in a separate small dish.