HARICOT BEANS, RICE, ONIONS

A dinner of quiet sustenance. • I suggest haricot beans here, but black-eyed beans, flageolet, butter beans or chickpeas are fine too. What matters is the hearty, cheap-as-chips marriage of beans and rice.

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Step 1

Peel the onions and thinly slice into rounds. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, peeled and finely sliced, then add the onions and leave them to cook over a moderate heat until they are soft and golden. Remove from the heat and take the onions out of the pan but keep the pan for later.

Step 2

Wash the rice in warm water, drain and transfer to a saucepan, then pour in enough water to cover it by 2cm. Salt the water, add the cloves and the peppercorns, then bring it to the boil. Lower the heat so that the rice simmers and cover the pan tightly with a lid, then leave it for ten minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the lid in place and allow the rice to rest for five minutes.

Step 3

Drain the beans. Melt the butter in a pan (use the same one you cooked the onions in), then use it to cook the cumin seeds and turmeric for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the drained beans and continue cooking until they are hot.

Step 4

Run a fork through the rice to separate the grains, check the seasoning and remove the cloves. Stir in the dill, then divide between two bowls. Spoon over the haricot beans and scatter the fried onions on top.