Carrot Rice (Easy And Healthy)
Carrot rice is a mildly seasoned and delightful rice dish that can be prepared swiftly. It also serves as an excellent option for a packed lunch in a tiffin box.
Ingredients
For Cooking Rice
- ½ cup rice (short to medium grained) or basmati rice or 3 cups cooked rice
- ¾ to 1 cups water – for pressure cooking
- ⅛ teaspoon salt or add as required
Other Ingredients
- ½ cup grated carrots or 2 medium carrots grated or 100 grams carrots
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 small tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- ½ inch cinnamon
- 1 to 2 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon chopped green chili or serrano pepper or 1 green chilli
- 5 to 6 curry leaves (medium-sized)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- 1.5 tablespoons oil – any neutral flavored oil
- salt as required
For Garnish
- ¼ cup sliced onions (tightly packed) or 1 small onion
- 10 to 12 cashews – kept whole or halved
- 10 to 12 raisins (without seeds)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
Instructions
Cooking Rice
- Soak rice in a bowl in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain and then set aside.
- You could use any rice like sona masuri, surti kolam or parimal rice or even basmati rice. I used hand pounded sona masuri rice.
- Add the rice in a 2 litre pressure cooker along with 0.75 to 1 cups water and salt (optional). Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
- Since this rice was hand pounded rice, I cooked for 3 whistles and added 1.25 cups water.
- You can also cook the rice in a pot or pan adding 3 to 3.5 cups water. Then drain the water once the rice grains are cooked.
- When the rice is cooking, peel and grate 2 medium sized carrots. Keep the grated carrots aside. Also slice 1 small onion and chop one green chili.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid of the cooker.
- Gently fluff the rice grains and allow them to cool completely. I cooled the rice in the cooker itself. But you can also take the rice grains in a large plate or tray to cool them.
Sautéing
- In a pan heat the oil and add the thinly sliced onions.
- Stir and saute the onions on a low to medium heat until onions start to turn light golden. Add a pinch of salt for cooking the onions quickly.
- When the onions begin to get light golden, add the cashews and raisins. Mix very well.
- Sauté until the raisins become plump. By the time the raisins become plump, the onions will also get golden.
- Remove the onions, cashews and raisins with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Making Carrot Rice
- In the same pan, some oil will be left. Lower the heat. Now add mustard seeds, tej patta, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
- Stir and sauté until the mustard crackles.
- Now add the chopped green chilies, curry leaves and a pinch of asafetida (optional).
- Stir and saute for half a minute. Add the grated carrots. Mix very well.
- Saute the carrots for about 3 minutes on a low to medium heat. Depending on the size of gratings, the sautéing can take less or more time.
- Add the steamed rice and stir. Season with salt. Again mix very well and switch off the flame.
- Lastly add the fried onions, cashews and raisins. Also add chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix very well. You can also garnish carrot rice with the fried onions, cashews and raisins while serving.
- Serve carrot rice with a side raita or salad.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve carrot rice with a side of a raita or salad. You can even pack it as a tiffin box lunch with some chutney or a veggie stir fry.
- The tangy sour flavors of an onion-tomato salad combine nicely with the mild, sweet flavors of this carrot rice.
- In fact a tangy tomato salad or even a mayo salad will pair greatly. If you do not have any veggies, simply serve carrot rice with a simple plain curd (yogurt).
Storage
- Though you mostly won't have any leftovers, but in case if you do have, then refrigerate and consume within a day. Do not keep for a longer time in the fridge. Rice is best had when freshly made.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 767mgPotassium: 272mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5440IUVitamin C: 53mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!