Skillet-fried basmati with garam masala and Chain Reaction heat gets dinner on the table in twenty minutes
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 3 Cups Basmati rice. Cook as instructed on package. Cool for about 30 minutes.
- 2 Teaspoons oil
- 1/2 Medium red onion, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 Teaspoons minced ginger
- 1/2 Green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 Red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 Cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 Teaspoon garam masala
- 1 Teaspoon Casa M Spice Co Uncontrolled Chain Reaction
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt or to taste
- Lime juice to taste
- Cilantro, chopped as garnish
Method
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01
Cook and cool the rice
35 minFollow package instructions to cook your basmati, then spread it out to cool for about 30 minutes—cold rice breaks apart cleanly in the skillet instead of turning into mush.
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02
Build your aromatics
3 minHeat oil over medium and add onion with a pinch of salt, cooking until it turns translucent and soft. Add garlic and ginger, mix well, and let it cook for a minute so the raw edge mellows out.
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03
Add the vegetables
2 minToss in peppers and carrots, mix well, and cook for 2 minutes to take the edge off without turning them mushy—you want some snap.
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04
Bloom the spices
1 minAdd garam masala and Casa M Chain Reaction, mix well, and cook for 1 minute to wake up the spice oils and deepen their flavor before the rice hits the pan.
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05
Combine and season
2 minAdd the cooled rice and mix until everything's coated and heated through, then taste and adjust salt and spice—add more Chain Reaction for heat, more garam masala for that sweet curry complexity.
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06
Finish with lime
1 minRight before serving, squeeze lime juice over the rice and toss it through—the acid brightens everything up and cuts through the richness.
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07
Garnish and serve
Top with fresh cilantro for color and a clean herbal note that plays well with the curry heat.
From Mike's Notebook
Cool the rice completely or it'll steam itself into mush when you hit the skillet with heat.
Slice your carrots thin so they actually cook through in the time the peppers need.
Toast the garam masala in oil for 10 seconds before adding vegetables — wakes up the spice.