A VEGETABLE-LOADED RICE WITH AN ASIAN TWIST
- whenincalabria
- May 2, 2016
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 5
... or: how to eat the rainbow without getting bored.
This vegetable-loaded rice dish is colourful, nutritious, satisfying, rich in flavours and textures, and best of all: fast and easy to make. It's a perfect way to incorporate vegetables and grains in your diet, and one of our go-to meals for busy weeknights.
Following the basic recipe method outlined below, the dish can be made with any mix of vegetables - fresh, frozen, leafy greens, or even salads - as well as other grains of your preference. And best of all: even the flavour profile is easily adjusted.
See also:
The possibilities are endless, and the end-result always a nice surprise. Even the way how the vegetables are cut - big, small, long, round, or on the bias - affects the texture and resulting mouthfeel of the dish. Ever since I made it for the first time years ago, it has never tasted the same twice. I suppose that's also why we never get bored of it.
The dish is easy to prepare: the vegetables are cleaned, cut into bite-size pieces, fried with onion and/or garlic, seasoned with sauces and spices and then combined with the pre-cooked rice.
The rice (or your preferred grain) is an important component, adding a richness to the dish, making it more complete and satisfying.
Spices add variety to the dish. Asian- or Thai-style (see below for more details), just follow the basic method outlined below and feel free to experiment.
Some vegetables might work better together than others, such as those from the same season or year-round vegetables, as in this example. But in the end, they all come together beautifully.
We enjoy it as a completely plant-based dish, but you can also serve it alongside meat or include the meat in the dish during cooking.
I hope you feel inspired to give it a try or create your own! The world is your vegetable drawer! ;-)
Eva oxoxo
Here's how to make it:
A VEGETABLE-LOADED RICE WITH AN ASIAN TWIST
Before you start, see also:
INGREDIENTS:
Makes a big pan, about 3-4 portions.
Vegetables:
250 g brown or white rice (brown is more healthy but needs longer cooking!)
1 large onion, diced
3 spring onions, cut into small rings (optional, but nice!)
1 yellow and 1 red pepper, cut into small cubes (add sweetness)
2 broccoli, cut into small florets (definitely!)
5 carrots, peeled and cut into strips (for colour and crunch, so don't overcook!)
1 leek, outer layer removed, halved, and cut into thin strips
250 g fresh spinach, washed (or add blocks of frozen spinach earlier on in the recipe)
Condiments:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil (optional, but adds a beautiful Asian-style flavour to the dish)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (the main Asian style flavouring in this dish, so don't leave it out)
1 Tablespoon ginger powder (the main Asian flavouring in this dish, so don't leave it out)
Juice of ½ lemon (optional, but provides freshness to the dish)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Equipment needed:
A medium-size pot, a large frying pan
METHOD:
Prepare all the ingredients
Wash, clean and cut all the vegetables: (Zero-waste tip: put all the washed, decent vegetable trimmings into a zip lock bag and freeze. They can be used for stocks and soups at another time).
Peel and dice the onion. Cut the very dark top off the leek, then cut it in half. Remove the outer layers, wash it thoroughly to make sure that there is no sand trapped between the leaves, then cut it into thin slices.
Wash the spring onions, cut off the very dark bit, then cut it into rings. Wash the broccoli, then turn it upside down and cut off the florets, starting from the trunk. Cut larger florets in half for even, bite-size pieces. Wash, peel or clean all other vegetables and cut them into bite-size pieces.
In a large pan heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and sweat the onion with a pinch of salt until it starts to soften and release its flavour, about 10 minutes. (If using garlic, add the garlic once the onion has softened, and fry gently for a couple of minutes).
Add the leek, spring onions and carrots and a little more salt and keep frying until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile put the rice into a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs pretty clear. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, add salt. Add the rice, stir, then leave to cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes, or according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
Add the peppers and broccoli to the pan and stir to combine. Leave to cook until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the spinach leaves in a big pile on top and leave them to melt into the vegetables.
Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp ginger powder. Keep on frying until the vegetables are soft but with a nice crunch. Then add the cooked rice.
At the end, add the juice of ½ lemon for freshness. Taste and add more salt and pepper, or a little more of the sauces and ginger as per your liking
Serve hot in big bowls.
STORAGE & RE-HEATING:
Store: Cool any leftovers as soon as possible, then store them covered with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge.
Re-heat: you can re-heat the dish directly in the pan over medium-high heat - add bit of water if necessary to prevent the rice from sticking.
Important: Make sure to re-heat the dish very well. Rice has to reach a temperature of at least 65°C to be perfectly save.
*A NOTE ON INGREDIENTS:
Above is not a recipe per se, but rather a method for preparing a large vegetable-filled dish, to which you can add various seasonings and a grain of your preference to turn it into a meal.
VEGETABLES:
The type and amount of my ingredients serve as guideline. You can use any vegetable you prefer, think cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage leaves, peas, snap peas, etc.
The more vegetables you include, cut in various ways, the more diverse and interesting the dish becomes.
Add leafy greens like spinach, broccoli rabe (broccoletti), kale, cut into strips. Even salad leaves: simply pile the washed leaves on top of the pre-fried vegetables and let them wilt inside.
Or use frozen vegetables: spinach, broccoli, green beans, etc. They are of good quality (typically harvested and frozen within hours, preserving all the nutrients), are generally pre-cut, and can be added frozen to the pan.
Make sure to add long-cook vegetables that you wouldn't eat raw first, like broccoli (or later, if you prefer them slightly crunchy); and others, such as peas, red peppers, or leafy greesn, last, to retain some crunch their vibrant colours. But don't worry too much, they will all cook and blend together in the end.
CONDIMENTS:
The condiments in my ingredients list are well worth investing in. They have a long shelf life, so can be used for a long time. I store my sauces in the refrigerator door after opening.
SPICES:
Add additional spices as you like:
Garlic: Peel a garlic clove and either mince it or slice it thinly. Fry it with the onion at the beginning over medium-low heat to prevent it from turning bitter.
Chilli: include a dried or fresh chilli with the onion at the beginning for extra heat (remove once the oil is well infused)
OTHER:
Add sesame seeds, cashew nuts, peanuts, or other nuts or seeds at the end for extra crunch.
*FLAVOUR PROFILES & OTHER VARIATIONS:
For a Thai-flavoured version:
Follow the same method as above, but:
Exclude the soy sauce and sesame oil. Use oil or coconut oil as your fat, then add a can of coconut milk (and water as needed) into the vegetables to create a sauce. Add a generous amount of ginger powder (or finely grated fresh ginger).
In this case, I would keep the rice separate, and when serving, add it to a bowl and then top it with the vegetables and their sauce. Nice with snap peas, green beans, broccoli, red peppers. Another great addition to a Thai-flavoured dish are Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. You could also include thai green, red, or yellow curry paste.
Swap out the rice:
You can substitute rice with other pre-cooked grains like chickpeas, barley, or quinoa.
For a meat-based meal:
Slice a chicken breast, which pairs very well with Thai flavours, into thin strips. Fry the chicken after sautéing the onion, then continue with the method outlined above, making sure that the chicken is fully cooked.
Alternatively, serve the dish or any left-overs as a side dish alongside cooked meats or sausages.
TEXT-ONLY RECIPE
A VEGETABLE-LOADED RICE WITH AN ASIAN TWIST
See also:
INGREDIENTS:
Makes a big pan, about 3-4 portions.
Vegetables:
250 g brown or white rice (brown is more healthy but needs longer cooking!)
1 large onion, diced
3 spring onions, cut into small rings (optional, but nice!)
1 yellow and 1 red bell pepper, cut into small cubes (add sweetness)
2 broccoli, cut into small florets (definitely!)
5 carrots, peeled and cut into strips (for colour and crunch, so don't overcook!)
1 leek, outer layer removed, halved, and cut into thin strips
250 g fresh spinach, washed (or add blocks of frozen spinach earlier on in the recipe)
Condiments:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil (optional, but adds a beautiful Asian-style flavour to the dish)
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (the main Asian style flavouring in this dish, so don't leave it out)
1 Tablespoon ginger powder (the main Asian flavouring in this dish, so don't leave it out)
Juice of ½ lemon (optional, but provides freshness to the dish)
Sea salt
Freshly milled black pepper
Equipment needed: A medium-size pot, a large frying pan
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare all the ingredients.
Wash, clean and cut all the vegetables:
(Zero-waste note: put all the washed and decent cut-off vegetable pieces into a zip lock bag and freeze. They can be used for stocks and soups at another time).
Peel and dice the onion.
Cut the very dark top off the leek, then cut it in half. Remove the outer layers, wash it thoroughly to make sure that there is no sand trapped between the leaves, then cut it into thin slices.
Wash the spring onions, cut off the very dark bit, then cut it into rings.
Wash the broccoli, then turn it upside down and cut off the florets, starting from the trunk. Cut larger florets in half for even, bite-size pieces.
Wash, peel or clean all other vegetables and cut them into bite-size pieces.
Fry the onion: In a large pan heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and sweat the onion with a pinch of salt until it starts to soften and release its flavour, about 10 minutes. (If using garlic, add the garlic once the onion has softened, and fry gently for a couple of minutes).
Start to add the first vegetables and a pinch of salt: Add the leek, spring onions and carrots and a little more salt and keep on frying until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally.
Boil the rice: Meanwhile put the rice into a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs pretty clear. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once it is boiling, add salt. Add the rice, stir, then leave to cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes, or according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
Add the peppers and broccoli to the pan and stir to combine. Leave to cook until the vegetables start to soften.
Add the spinach: add the spinach leaves on top in a big pile and leave them to melt into the vegetables.
Add the spices: add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp ginger powder. Keep on frying until the vegetables are soft but with a nice crunch.
Add the rice: Add the cooked rice to the pan and stir to combine.
Final seasoning: At the end add the juice of ½ lemon for freshness. Taste and add more salt and pepper, or a little more of the sauces and ginger as per your liking
Serve: serve hot in big bowls.
STORAGE & RE-HEATING:
Store: Cool any leftovers as soon as possible, then store them covered with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge.
Re-heat: you can re-heat the dish directly in the pan over medium-high heat - add bit of water if necessary to prevent the rice from sticking.
Important: Make sure to heat the dish very well. Rice has to reach a temperature of at least 65°C to be perfectly save.
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