I often cook stir-fry rice dishes; they are quick and easy. Normally I use chinese flavours, but I wanted something different. In my freezer I had some prawns and remembered some delicious prawns with garlic I had on honeymoon in Paris. Whenever I’ve visited France I’ve found they often serve plain rice to compliment the main flavours of a dish. This inspired me to put these flavours together, as well as adding one of my favourite ingredients – watercress. I’ve found that prawns and watercress work well together. Here is my new quick easy recipe to add to my meal plans; made with fresh herbs and lemon juice to make this rice dish light and zingy. This dish is cooked in a wok and stir-fried, so just like an oriental stir fry keep all the ingredients moving fast around the wok to prevent burning.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 chopped spring onion
• 1 level tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 200g cooked white rice
• 150g frozen mixed vegetables (defrosted)
• 150g prawns
• 1 salad bag watercress, chopped
• large handful of chopped fresh parsley and thyme
• half a lemon

Method:

1. Heat a wok with oil.
2. Add spring onions, garlic powder, pepper, mixed vegetables and stir quickly for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add prawns, watercress and herbs stir quickly for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add half the rice* and stir, mixing in with all the ingredients.
5. Add remaining rice and stir again.
6. Squeeze juice of half a lemon over rice, stir and serve.

*Adding rice gradually distibutes rice more efficiently without it burning.