This is one of my favourite go-to recipes for those evenings when I’m looking for a meal that’s both quick to prepare and incredibly satisfying. It’s a fantastic option because it’s so simple to make, doesn’t require a lot of lengthy preparation, and the taste is absolutely delicious. I find it to be a perfect balance of convenience and flavour, making it ideal for busy weeknights
INGREDIENTS
- 5 cups – Water
- 1 1/2 cups – Basmati rice
- 1 – cinnamon stick
- 1 – star anise – I used 2 small ones
- 1 – Bay leaf
- Salt – to taste
- 3 tablespoons – Butter or oil
- 1 – medium onion. chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon – Turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon – Ginger powder
- 4 – Carrots, medium – grated
- 1 teaspoon – Chicken bouillon, optional
- 1 teaspoon – Sesame oil
PROCEDURE
Heat up the 5 cups of water in a pot. Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then carefully transfer to the pot of boiling water. To enhance the flavour of the rice, please add a stick of cinnamon, two pieces of star anise, and a couple of bay leaves to the pot. Also, season with some salt to your taste preferences. Cook the rice until it is approximately 90% cooked; it should still have a slight bite to it, as it will finish cooking in a later stage of our preparation
Drain the water from the rice, then set aside. Do not discard the aromatics.
Heat up the butter or oil in a pan or wok
Add the onion, and sauté till fragrant. Which should about 2 minutes on medium heat
Next, add the turmeric and ginger powder and fry for about 30 seconds to a minute
Next, add the grated carrot to the pan and stir-fry it until it’s thoroughly heated through. Once it’s hot, you can season it with salt to taste. Additionally, you have the option to add chicken bouillon for extra flavour, though it’s completely optional and can be omitted if you prefer
Now, add the rice along with the aromatics, and mix well to combine
Cook it for approximately 3 minutes. This cooking time should help the ingredients reach the perfect tenderness while retaining their crispness.
Additionally, to further enhance the overall flavour of the dish, please add a teaspoon of sesame oil just before you finish cooking. This small addition will bring a lovely aromatic depth to the stir fry.
Turn off the heat and serve.
I served this deliciousness with some Air-fried Chicken drumsticks. Yum!
