5 Simple and Tasty ways to Make Rice

Let’s get back to basics and take a look at the humble rice dish.

It’s a staple ingredient in hundreds of countries all over the world.

It’s versatile enough to be a main dish, a side or even a dessert and it can be simple or complex or anything in between.

Rice is so adjustable that buying it in bulk provides you with a cheap way to create interesting and nutritious meals with a minimal price tag.

DESIblitz presents five delicious rice recipes for you to try to get the most out of your favourite staple food.

Yellow Pumpkin Pulav Rice

Perfect for the end of autumn coming into the start of winter, this flavoursome dish makes a warm and hearty meal.

Using pumpkin is a great way to use up leftovers, but if you don’t have any you can try substituting butternut squash for a similar texture.

Experiment with this winter warmer from Archana’s Kitchen here.

Spicy Cashew Rice

This sharp and nutty dish is perfect to serve alongside your main meal or to eat as a light lunch on its own.

It’s easy to make and requires minimal ingredients for maximum flavour so if your spice cupboard is a bit bare, this is the one for you.

Check out this easy recipe from BBC Good Food here.

Alternatively, try this tasty Saffron Cashew Rice from Raley’s here.

Masala Rice

What do you do when you cook rice and overestimate how much you need? This recipe provides the answer.

This hot and colourful dish gives you an easy way to use up your leftover rice and those last few teaspoons of spices left in the jar.

Give this thrifty recipe a go from Veg Recipes of India here.

Kheer

Rice pudding is a staple dessert in any household.

Customisable, cheap and filling: the perfect pudding for adults and children alike.

This recipe provides a delicious and sweet take on the traditional pudding, but you can easily adjust it to suit your own taste by removing the nuts and spices.

Have a go at making this classic from Tilda Kitchen here.

Spice Rice

An easy and simple take on basmati rice passed down through generations, this spicy dish is the perfect accompaniment to any curry.

DESIblitz has adapted this versatile recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery by Madhur Jaffrey to create a perfect rice dish. Give it a go below:

Ingredients:

• Rice measured to 425ml
• A splash of oil
• 50g onion, finely diced
• ½ a green chilli, finely diced
• ½ tsp crushed garlic
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 570ml chicken or vegetable stock

Method:

1. Wash the rice.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until it begins to brown.
3. Add the rice, chilli, garlic and salt. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the rice is coated in oil.
4. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Simmer for 25 minutes, leaving the pan covered for the duration.
6. Fluff the rice and enjoy with your favourite curry!

Variety is the spice of life with rice, so with these sides, mains and even desserts even the most inexperienced cook should be able to enjoy a range of cheap yet nutritious meals.