Quick, healthy & easy savoury rice. Full of tasty vegetables and ready from start to finish in less than thirty minutes!
PREP TIME: 5 minutesminutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutesminutes
Servings: 6servings as a side
Ingredients
1tablespoonoil, optional (see notes for oil-free)
1largeonion, diced
4large clovesgarlic, chopped finely
1smallfresh chilli, or dried, (OPTIONAL)
1 large or 2mediumcarrots, diced
1largebell pepper, diced
1½ cups / 300gramsuncooked white rice, regular long-grain white rice, basmati or jasmine
3 cups / 720mlsvegetable stock, gluten-free if necessary
about 30cherry or grape tomatoes
1½ cups / 195gramsfrozen peas
1¼teaspoonfine salt, plus more to taste
½teaspoonblack pepper, plus more to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Put a large pan over medium heat and add the oil (or some water to keep oil-free).
Once hot, add the onion and sauté until softened and just starting to colour.
Add the garlic and chili and sauté for 1 minute more
Add the carrot, bell pepper and raw rice and stir for a couple of minutes until the rice starts to make slight popping sounds.
Add the stock, tomatoes, peas, salt and pepper. Stir well, and as soon as the liquid on the entire surface is bubbling, give it a good stir, put on the lid and turn the heat to low.
Cook for 20 minutes with no peeking, then lift the lid and pull some rice aside with a spoon or tilt the pan to ensure most of the liquid has been absorbed.
If when you check it there is still liquid present keep it on the heat with lid on for another 5 to 10 minutes before proceeding with the next step.
Once the liquid has mostly gone, turn the heat off, and leave the pan with the lid on undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Taste to check seasoning and add more as required, then serve.
NOTES
Oil-Free? Use a few tablespoons of water instead of oil and add a little more as necessary to prevent sticking.Success Tips
Leave the tomatoes whole. The sweet bursts of juicy tomato when eating it are lovely!
Don't let the peas defrost before adding them. They should go in frozen.
Don't lift the lid while it's cooking. It's important to keep the heat and steam trapped inside so the rice cooks evenly.
Storage, freezing and reheating Leftover savoury rice should be cooled and refrigerated as quickly as possible. Don't leave it sitting out at room temperature for a long time. As soon as it is cool, transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a lidded saucepan on the stovetop with a few drops of water to moisten it up and stop it from sticking to the bottom. Make sure it is piping hot before serving.Savoury rice can be frozen. Cool it as quickly as possible and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Either reheat it straight from the freezer in the microwave or let it defrost in the fridge overnight.Important - Do not let cooked rice sit out at room temperature. It must be cooled and either refrigerated or frozen very quickly. Defrosting must be done in the fridge and never at room temperature, and never reheat rice more than once.