Bright Rice

By Nigella Lawson

Bright Rice
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(674)
Comments
Read comments

This colorful dish is great on a dreary day, or any other time for that matter. It doesn’t take long and can be a side for any chicken or fish dish – or, as Nigella Lawson originally suggested, as a perfect accompaniment to her recipe for dal, a red lentil stew spiced with turmeric, chili and ginger, and colored with sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

Featured in: AT MY TABLE; Colorful and Cheery, Food to Light a Gray Day

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½cup finely chopped onion
  • 1cup diced orange bell pepper
  • 1tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1¼cups basmati rice
  • 2½cups vegetable broth
  • 114-ounce can chickpeas, drained
  • Salt to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

294 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 567 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by
Cooking Newsletter illustration

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mustard seeds, turmeric, cloves and cinnamon, and sauté for 1 minute. Add rice and mix until well coated with oil.

  2. Step 2

    Add vegetable broth and chickpeas. Stir briefly, and allow to return to a boil. Cover, and cook on lowest possible heat for 20 minutes. If rice has not absorbed all the liquid by then, cover pan with a clean dish towel and place lid over it. Allow to sit off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes. (This method may be used for keeping the rice warm and moist for up to half an hour.)

  3. Step 3

    To serve, fluff rice with a fork, and add salt to taste.

Ratings

4 out of 5
674 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Ella

This is very helpful, thank you. Also, once I have turned the heat off, I replace the lid with a clean kitchen towel. Rice becomes extra fluffy that way.

Anne Marie

I liked this a lot. Instead of chickpeas, since I was serving with dal, I used cashew pieces. It turned out great.

Linda

your rice will be much nicer w 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water. The grains will be soft but separate. For a white basmati, rinse your rice in cold water, then saute rice for about 2 min with a big nut of butter. Add your boiling water and cook 20 minutes on low. Then turn off the heat, place a towel under the pot lid, and let the rice rest 10+ minutes.

Tabitha

This was really delicious! I made it in the rice cooker and added chopped cashews and cilantro to finish. The cashews honestly took it over the edge. Would be good with peas and golden raisins too.

LP

Made as directed. Came out mushy and completely tasteless

Mary

Made as directed with the dal and it was delicious! Particularly love the cinnamon in this.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.