Ingredients
4 tbsp. ghee or butter
30 curry leaves (optional)
1 large red onion, diced, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
1" piece fresh ginger, finely minced
2 1/2 tbsp. yellow curry powder
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 c. basmati rice, rinsed and drained
3 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 c. peas (optional)
Toasted cashews, for serving
Cilantro, for serving
Freshly sliced red chilis, for serving
Yogurt, for serving
Preparation
Step 1In a large pot over medium heat, melt ghee. Add curry leaves and fry until translucent and crispy, then remove and set aside. Step 2Add to pot most of the onion, reserving ¼ cup for topping, and let cook until semi-translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onions start to caramelize, about 4 minutes more. Step 3Add rice and stir constantly until grains are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until rice is tender, about 17 minutes minutes. Step 4Remove from heat, and let covered pot stand for 5 minutes before removing the lid. Fluff rice gently with a fork, then fold in peas.Step 5Top each serving with cashews, fresh chile, the remaining red onions, cilantro, crispy curry leaves, and yogurt before serving.
Ghee Ghee is clarified butter and using it has its pros and cons. Unlike butter, which still contains milk solids, ghee is pure fat, which means it has a much higher smoke point than regular butter and won’t burn as readily. However, the lack of milk solids in ghee also means it won’t develop as much flavor as butter will during cooking. If you’ve ever cooked with brown butter, you know just what a treat it is. Much of Indian cooking uses ghee, which has a richer taste than most other vegetable oils. But if you want to bump up the flavor even more, go ahead and use butter—just make sure you lower the heat and keep stirring the pot to avoid burning those milk solids. Spice For perfect curry rice, nothing beats the flavor of a high quality yellow curry powder and some fresh curry leaves. While optional, frying the curry leaves in ghee both infuses the ghee with a mild curry fragrance as well as creating a crispy garnish to serve your finished rice with. To supplement the pre-made curry powder with some additional punch, we’re also using lots of fresh garlic and ginger, as well as cumin seeds, freshly ground black pepper, coriander, and a touch of ground cayenne for heat. All of these spices get bloomed in hot ghee to help release their flavors into the fat, which then get absorbed into the rice during the cooking process. Rice For best results with this recipe, go with a good long-grain white rice—the liquid to rice ratio here is made specifically with white basmati in mind. Be sure to rinse the rice three times or until the water runs clear: this eliminates excess starch for distinct, perfectly tender cooked grains. Drain well, then toast the grains evenly in the pot with your aromatics before adding in your broth. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to your lowest setting, then clamp on that lid—17 minutes is the magic number! After you turn off the heat, do not lift the lid right away: Wait just 5 more minutes to let the steam inside the pot distribute evenly. Once you uncover, bathe in the fragrant rice aromatherapy, then fluff gently with a fork to separate your grains before folding in the peas. And everything nice Curry rice is a blank (but delicious!) canvas that you can adjust to your liking. For topping, I like some crunchy raw red onions, crispy curry leaves, pan-toasted cashews (with just a little bit of char for smoky nuttiness), fresh cilantro and spicy red chilis, and cooling, creamy yogurt. You can add more veggies or protein in if you’re planning on eating it as a meal by itself: a fried egg, roasted carrots, some steak, or roasted chicken. Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container and will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. A quick reheat in the microwave with a small bowl of hot water will do wonders to bring back that freshly-steamed rice flavor and texture—perfect for a speedy lunch. If you’ve made this recipe, leave us a rating and drop a line down below in the comments and let us know how you liked it!
