Curried Rice (Vegan)

Curried rice or curry rice recipe is a delicious one pot rice dish that gets ready in 20 minutes. It is a very easy to make recipe where basmati rice and vegetables are cooked together with curry powder and few other spices. Vegan and gluten free. Easy weeknight dinner in 20 minutes!

For more easy rice recipes please check turmeric rice, veg pilaf, peas pulao, biryani rice, saffron rice.

Often times we are left with bits and bobs of assorted vegetables that need to be used right. This easy curried rice recipe is a great one for putting those veggies to good use.

You can basically add any of your favorite vegetables here and it turns out great. Curry rice is wonderful side dish in any continental spread or you can serve it as main meal with a simple raita, chips or even salad.

It is mildly spiced, very very flavorful and has varied textures from different vegetables. You can use homemade curry power or your preferred brand from stores.

About This Curried Rice Recipe

Curried rice is a simple rice pilaf where we are using curry powder for flavoring. It is a simple preparation which you can make under 30 minutes.

You can make curry rice with or without vegetables. While I like to add a good dose of vegetables here, this recipe tastes just good with onions, ginger garlic and curry powder/

Just make sure to increase the quantity of rice if you are not using vegetables. When you make this recipe with vegetables, it becomes a wholesome one pot dish that you can just serve with a raita or even plain yogurt.

This is a vegan recipe and I have used peanut oil here. But you can easily use butter or ghee to make it more rich and flavorful.

Next try to use long grain rice like basmati rice here. I feel basmati rice is the best rice for making curry rice. I even prefer to serve thai veg curries with basmati or Jasmine rice.

Here I have made this as one pot dish with raw rice. If you have leftover rice you can also use it, see notes for details.

You can use vegetables that go in pilaf for this recipe too. Here I have used carrot, baby corn, beans, broccoli, bok coy, green peas, corn. Green onions will be a wonderful addition here.

You can make this rice with water, vegetable broth or thin coconut milk. The flavor will vary accordingly. Choose the one you like the most.

Use very good quality curry powder for best flavor. You can use red or yellow curry powder as per taste. I have used homemade curry powder. I have also shared a quick recipe for the same.

Do make this easy curried rice recipe and enjoy. It is

tasty and flavorful

made with fluffy and fragrant basmati rice

vegan and gluten free

excellent side dish in any meal

wholesome dish for kids

Homemade Curry Powder

The star ingredient of this recipe is curry powder. While it is easily available in stores the flavor and taste of homemade ones is unparalleled.

Making curry powder at home is really easy. It is just a mix of staple Indian spices dry roasted and powdered. I do not use it very often so I make a small batch and freeze. It stays good for 5-6 uses or about a month. Here is my recipe.

Heat a small pan. Once it is hot add the following ingredients.

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

8 green cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 inch piece of dry ginger or 1 teaspoon powder.

Dry roast in low heat until the spices turn aromatic. Let cool and grind to a fine powder. Store in airtight jar. Use as required. You will need about 3 teaspoon curry powder for this recipe.

How To Make Curry Rice Recipe

Preparing Basmati Rice & Vegetables

Pick a and rinse rice grains well once or twice. Soak them in plenty of water for 20 minutes.

Drain in a colander and spread on a plate. Set aside.

Finely dice the vegetables and set aside. Chop the leaves and stalks of bok choy separately.

Separate the broccoli into florets and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Mince together 1/2 inch peeled ginger and 2 cloves garlic. You can also use 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste. Chop 1 large onion finely and set aside too.

Making Curried Rice

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and fry for few seconds. Next add 1 slit green chili, 2 tablespoons coriander leaves. Also add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions and minced ginger garlic cloves.

Saute everything together until onions turn a bit soft.

Now add all the chopped vegetables expect broccoli and bok choy leaves.

Mix well and cook for 2 minutes in high flame. Now add the spice powders- 3 teaspoons curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder and 1/4 turmeric powder. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Saute well to coat the spice powders to the vegetables.

Now add the soaked and drained rice. Mix well and coat the oil to the rice grains. Saute well until all the moisture in rice grains are gone.

Now add 2 cups water or broth and salt to taste. Cook stirring gently without breaking the rice grains.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook in low heat for 10-12 minutes. Do not open the in the middle or stir often. Once done, open the pan and fluff the rice with a fork gently. Throw in the blanched broccoli and bok choy leaves. Mix gently without breaking the rice grains.

Serve curry rice warm as side dish or as main meal with raita.

Method-2 With Cooked Rice

If you have cooked and cooled rice handy, it can be easily used here. I would any day prefer to use leftover rice in such recipes as it behaves well compared to raw rice 🙂

To begin with add few drops of oil to the cooked rice, toss well and set aside. Also chop the vegetables, mince ginger garlic too.

Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds, green chilies, onions and coriander leaves. Saute well. Also add ginger garlic and saute until the raw flavor leaves.

Now add the vegetables, you can add broccoli as well followed by spice powders and salt.

Mix well, cover the pan and cook in low flame for 10-12 minutes. No need to add any water.

Once the vegetables are cooked add the rice. Toss well in high flame for a minute.

Finally throw in the bok choy leaves and mix well. Serve curried rice warm

What To Serve Curry Rice With?

This curried rice is a wonderful side dish in any continental meal. You can serve it as main meal too with

plain yogurt

raita or condiment like onion raita, cucumber raita

salad like carrot salad, smashed cucumber salad

roasted vegetables

Pro Tips To Make Curries Rice

Rice– I usually make this recipe with long grain rice like basmati. I feel the delicate aroma of this rice compliments the flavor of curry powder.

You can also use any white rice like Thai jasmine rice or even brown rice or brown basmati rice.

Preparing rice– It is important to prepare the basmati rice before using in any recipe. Rinsing the rice well gets rid of some of the starch and makes it non sticky. Soaking the rice for few minutes makes them longer on cooking. I have explained these steps in detail here- how to cook basmati rice perfectly.

Curry powder– My homemade curry powder is on the spicier side as we like it that way. If you are making it at home you can increase or decrease the chilies as per taste. Cayenne pepper can be used instead of red chilies.

If you are using store bought make sure to use the ones labeled mild or hot as per your preference.

Vegetables are optional in this recipe but I highly recommend them. Adding vegetables makes this curry rice wholesome and also tasty.

If you do not have any of the vegetables mentioned in the recipe handy, just use whatever you have. Green peas and carrots alone will also taste good here. Instead of broccoli you could use cauliflower.

If you choose to avoid vegetables in this recipe make sure to use 1.75 cups of rice instead of the 1 cup mentioned.

Greens- I like to throw in some greens like bok choy in this rice whenever possible. You can also use finely chopped spinach, radish greens, fenugreek leaves too.

Instead of using water you can use vegetable stock, chicken broth or thin coconut milk in curried rice recipe. It definitely increases the flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which rice is best for curry rice?

You can basically use any type of rice here but I am partial to basmati rice for its delicate flavor and wonderful texture.

Can I use quinoa here?

Yes, just use it in place of rice. On that note you can also use cauliflower rice but add it after cooking the vegetables as shown in method -2.

How to make curried rice more flavorful?

Use any vegetable or chicken broth, stock or coconut milk instead of water. If using coconut milk make sure it is diluted.

Can I use curry paste for this rice?

Yes, instead of curry powder you can use 2-3 tablespoons of any curry paste in this rice, It tastes very good too.

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