Your rice side dish doesn’t have to be boring or plain anymore! Try this Carrot Rice recipe, inspired by Iraqi cuisine, next time you are craving a rice dish.
Traditional Iraqi carrot rice ” Timman Jizar” is cooked with meat, but by cooking the rice the right way, infusing it with aromatic spices, plus the sweetness of carrots, you can confidently ditch the meat and enjoy this delicious plant-based rice dish. This carrot rice recipe is healthy, kid-friendly, and perfect as a side dish or as a meal on its own.
Ingredients to make carrot rice:
- Basmati rice.
- Carrot: the star ingredient of this dish, is fresh chopped carrots! It adds a burst of color plus the natural sweetness of the carrots balances the spices and adds a hint of sweetness to every bite.
- White onion.
- Coconut oil.
- Bouillon powder or vegetable stock/broth
- Freshly chopped dill: that adds a pop of color and flavor to the rice.
- Salt & pepper
- Spices: the spice mix used to make this carrot rice not only enhances the taste but also lends a beautiful golden hue to the final product. Dried lime (Noomi Basrah), turmeric, curry, cinnamon, and cardamom. All of these spices provide a rich and aromatic boost to this humble rice dish.
How to make carrot rice:
To make a perfectly fluffy carrot rice, follow these simple steps:
- First, it is important to rinse the rice in cold water a couple of times, till the water runs clear.
- Soak the rice for 30 minutes before cooking it.
- Next, heat the oil and saute the onion for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped carrots and saute with the onions for 10 minutes.
- Now it is time to add all of the spices and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes, this step is crucial to toast and awaken all of the spices.
- It is time to add the soaked rice to the pan. Gently stir the rice into the carrot mixture, ensuring every grain is coated with the fragrant concoction. This helps the rice absorb the flavors of the carrots and spices, resulting in a harmonious blend of tastes with each bite.
- Dissolve the bouillon powder in water, and add it to the rice and carrot mixture & stir. Cover the pot’s lid and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the freshly chopped dill and mix it well with the rice.
- Cover the lid and let the rice cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes.
- Once cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and it is ready to be served.
Recipe tips & ingredients swaps:
- When it comes to choosing the rice, the preferred is Basmati rice. However, any long-grain rice should work fine in this recipe.
- To make carrot rice, use carrots that are chopped into small-medium cubes. Alternatively, you can grate the carrots, that way they do cook faster, but I prefer to chop them into cubes, which helps maintain their shape after cooking, and you will have different textures.
- For oil, opt for ” healthy oils” such as olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil the one I have used to make this recipe. For oil-free, just use water or vegetable stock to saute the carrot mixture.
- Brown or red onions works in this recipe.
- To have perfectly fluffy rice, follow the steps of rinsing and soaking the rice, it is important to use the right rice-to-water ratio mentioned in this recipe.
How to serve carrot rice:
Serve this tasty rice dish with fresh salad, such as this simple Arabic salad, or for added protein serve it along lentil salad.
This carrot rice can be served as a healthy side to any protein main dish, whether plant-based or not. Consider serving your carrot rice alongside a refreshing tzatziki sauce, a tangy lemon mint yogurt, that pairs perfectly with this rice.
Leftover:
To store any leftover carrot rice, first, let the rice cool down completely before storing it. Once cooled, transfer the rice to an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator. When storing the rice in the refrigerator it is recommended to consume it within 3-4 days.
Recommended Recipes:
For more rice dishes inspired by Middle Eastern flavors, try this perfectly cooked vermicelli rice recipe, or this famous mujadara recipe.
Other Vegan recipes you will like:
- Palestinian musakhan rolls.
- Protein-packed lentil and bean soup recipe.
- Easy-to-make vegan vegetable soup recipe.
- Middle Eastern’s favorite winter drink Sahlab.
If you make this recipe, I’d love a comment, and to rate this recipe. Please make sure to tag me in re-creation on Instagram @veganbilaraby. I love to see your take on my vegan recipes 💚
Iraqi Carrot Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes.
- 3 cups carrots chopped into small-medium cubes.
- ¾ cup white onion finely chopped
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 1½ tsp dried lime powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp cardammom powder
- 2 tsp bouillon powder
- 700 ml cold water
- ½ cup fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil and saute the onion for 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped carrots and saute with the onions for 10 minutes.
- Next, it is time to add all of the spices and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes, this step is crucial to toast and awaken all of the spices.
- Add the pre-soaked rice to the pan, and gently stir the rice into the carrot mixture, ensuring every grain is coated with carrot-spice mixture. This helps the rice absorb the flavors of the carrots and spices.
- Dissolve the bouillon powder in water, and add it to the rice and carrot mixture & stir. Cover the pot's lid and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the freshly chopped dill and mix it well with the rice. Cover the lid and let the rice cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and it is ready to be served. Enjoy!
Tavo says
Great recipe! I loves pairing it with a cold lentil salad.
Thank you, that is a perfect combo💚
Looks delicious🤩
thank you🧡