Vegetable & Herb Curry

This is curried rice the easy way, a quick, comforting dinner or side that’s mild enough for the whole table. Curry powder is the warm, golden backbone, but the real charm is the sweet-savory balance.

Sweet chopped apple and plump raisins are the secret, melting into the rice and curry to lend a gentle fruity sweetness that softens the spice, the same trick that makes a mild mulligatawny so cozy.

The vegetables, onion, celery, and green pepper, get a quick saute so they stay a little crisp and fresh against the soft instant brown rice.

Stir the cooked rice and curry powder into the vegetables, then let it sit a few minutes off the heat so the flavors mingle and the curry blooms. Season with salt or tamari and it’s ready. Naturally vegan, it works as a light main or a side.

Kitchen Tips

• Bloom the curry powder by stirring it into the hot mixture and letting it sit, which knocks off any raw, dusty edge.
• Keep the vegetables crisp-tender, just 3 to 5 minutes, so they don’t go mushy in the rice.
• Steam the raisins in the splash of water until plump so they’re soft and juicy rather than chewy.
• Use tamari instead of salt to keep it gluten-free and add savory depth.

Variations

• Add chickpeas, peas, or toasted cashews to turn it into a heartier main.
• Stir in a spoonful of mango chutney or a squeeze of lime for brightness.
• Use any cooked rice you have on hand in place of instant brown rice.