Quick curried vegetable rice

At a glance

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 onion*
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic
• 2 small carrots
• 1 cup rice*
• 1 tablespoon oil*
• 2 teaspoons store bought minced ginger (optional)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 cups salt reduced vegetable stock*
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Pepper, to taste

Steps

1. Dice the onion by removing the outer skins and chopping into small pieces. Place in a small bowl for later.
2. If using fresh garlic, remove the outer skin and chop cloves into very small pieces. Add to the bowl with the onion. Or add store bought minced garlic.
3. Use a grater to grate the carrot (or you can dice the carrot up into small squares). Place in a bowl for later.
4. Prepare the rice by rinsing under cold water in a colander for 15 seconds. Drain well.
5. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Wait until the oil sizzles a little then add onion, garlic and ginger (optional) and stir with wooden spoon cooking for 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft and starting to change colour.
6. Add in carrot and cook, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.
7. Add the curry powder and rice and cook, stirring continuously for 1 minute.
8. Add stock and bring to the boil by turning up the heat. Once boiling, add the frozen peas and cover with a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is tender (keep an eye on the rice as you don’t want the rice at the bottom of the pan to burn). Remove the saucepan from the heat and rest with the lid on for 8 minutes (this helps to make the rice fluffy).
9. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl and fluff with a fork or wooden spoon. Sprinkle with pepper to serve.

*Tips

• Use red or brown onion.
• Use any of these cooking oils: olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil.
• Try to choose brown rice if available for a higher fibre option or use a long grain rice such as basmati for a lower GI option. Option to use microwaveable rice instead of cooking rice.
• If liquid stock is not available, use 2 vegetable stock cubes (salt reduced if available) and 2 cups of water instead of 2 cups of stock. Cook the rice in 2 cups of water instead of stock.
• Option to use fresh or canned vegetables instead of frozen vegetables.
• Option to add in additional spices for flavour (such as cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli powder).
• Try serving with a spoonful of plain yoghurt.

Watch how to make it

videocam 1:04