Rice with vegetables
Vegetable rice is made in a single pot and doesn’t require much preparation. The vegetables are chopped and then cooked together with the rice, tomato paste, and water until the liquid reduces. At the end, fresh herbs and the remaining butter are added, allowing it to melt under the lid. It can be served plain as a dish or alongside other meals as a side. Quick Info Total Time: not specified in the original recipe; the dish cooks until the rice absorbs the water and the liquid reduces. Preparation Time: not specified. Cooking Time: not specified; it depends on the type of rice and the heat intensity. Servings: not specified. Difficulty: easy. Recipe Type: vegetable rice, vegetable pilaf, side dish, or a fasting dish adaptation. Important: the recipe contains butter, so it is not a fasting dish in its presented form. The label "fasting recipe" can only be used for a version where the butter is omitted or replaced. Ingredients 1 cup of rice 1 carrot 2 onions 2 green onion stalks A quarter of celery 4 cups of water 1 tablespoon of oil 2 cubes of butter 1 tablespoon of tomato paste Salt, to taste A handful of fresh herbs: parsley, dill, and lovage Preparation Method 1. Peel the carrot, onion, and celery. Chop the vegetables finely. The green onion is also cut into small pieces. Prepare the herbs separately and set them aside for later. 2. Put the oil in a small pot and add one cube of butter. Heat them until the butter melts and starts to sizzle lightly. 3. Add the chopped vegetables and let them cook a bit in the oil and butter mixture. There’s no need to brown them too much; just soften them slightly. 4. Add the rice, salt, tomato paste, and 4 cups of water to the pot. Stir to distribute the tomato paste evenly in the liquid. 5. Let the dish cook until the water reduces and the rice is cooked. The time isn’t fixed, as it can vary depending on the rice and the heat. If necessary, keep an eye on the dish towards the end to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 6. When the liquid has reduced, add the chopped herbs and let the rice cook for about 2 more minutes. 7. Turn off the heat. Place the remaining cube of butter on top, then cover the pot. Let the dish sit covered so the butter melts and the flavors meld. 8. Serve the rice warm, either plain or as a side dish. Why I Make This Recipe Often It’s a simple dish made in one pot, perfect when I want a side without much preparation. The vegetables, tomato paste, and herbs give the rice enough flavor, while the butter makes it more enjoyable in the end. It can be served as is or alongside another dish. The rice can also be made in larger quantities, but it changes texture and becomes denser once cooled. When reheating, it’s helpful to stir it gently without mashing. Tips Chop the vegetables as uniformly as possible so they cook around the same time. Carrots and celery can remain firmer if cut into much larger pieces than the onion. Don’t add all the herbs at the beginning. In the basic recipe, they are added towards the end and only cook for 2 minutes, helping retain their flavor. Salt can be added along with the water, rice, and tomato paste. The amount isn’t specified in the recipe, so adjust it to taste. The rice should be monitored towards the end of cooking. After the liquid reduces, it can easily stick to the bottom of the pot, especially if the heat is too high. The remaining butter is added after turning off the heat, not with all the ingredients. This way, it melts over the rice while the dish rests covered. Substitutions For a version without animal products, omit or replace the butter with a suitable plant-based product. In this case, the dish can be considered a fasting dish, provided that the other ingredients used are compliant. If you don’t have all types of herbs, you can use just one of those mentioned: parsley, dill, or lovage. The original recipe includes them together, but the proportions are not fixed. Variations For a more pronounced tomato flavor, keep the same amount of tomato paste and mix it well in the water before it is poured over the rice. There’s no need for a separate step. Depending on what you have on hand, the vegetables in the recipe can be chopped finer or a bit larger. However, it’s good to keep the base of onion, carrot, and celery, as they form the flavor of the dish. The recipe can also be prepared without green onions if they are not available. In this case, keep the two dried onions from the ingredient list. Serving Ideas Vegetable rice can be served plain as a dish or as a side alongside other meals. It’s suitable for meals where you need a warm side with vegetables and tomato sauce. It can be placed directly on the plate after being covered, once the butter on top has melted. If serving as a side dish, stir it gently beforehand to distribute the butter and herbs. Frequently Asked Questions Should the rice be washed before use? The original recipe does not specify this step. If you choose to wash it, let it drain well before putting it in the pot to avoid unnecessarily altering the liquid quantity in the dish. What should I do if the rice is not cooked yet but the water has reduced? The recipe indicates cooking until the liquid reduces, without specifying an intervention in this situation. Check the rice towards the end of boiling, as the time depends on the type used. If adjustments are needed, they should be made carefully to avoid turning the dish into overly soft rice. When should the herbs be added? The herbs are added after the liquid has reduced and the rice is cooked. They are left for about 2 minutes on the heat, then the heat is turned off. Why is the remaining butter added after turning off the heat? The cube of butter is placed on top after the heat is turned off and the pot is covered. This way, it gradually melts over the rice during the final resting stage of the dish. Is the recipe suitable for fasting? Not in the form presented, as it contains two cubes of butter. For a fasting version, the butter must be omitted or replaced with a suitable plant-based product. Nutritional Values The values are estimated and cannot be calculated precisely, as the weight of the butter cubes, the size of the vegetables, or the number of servings are not indicated. For the entire quantity of the dish, using a standard cup of rice and two standard cubes of butter, the estimate can be around 1,500-1,800 kcal, depending on the actual amount of butter and the size of the vegetables. If the dish is divided into 4 servings, one serving may have approximately 375-450 kcal, 8-10 g of protein, 55-65 g of carbohydrates, and 14-18 g of fat. These values include the oil and butter. In the version without butter, the calorie and fat intake decreases. Rice is the main source of carbohydrates, while oil and butter contribute to the fat content. The vegetables provide fiber and micronutrients, but the exact amount depends on their weight. Storage and Reheating After cooling, store the rice covered in the refrigerator. Since the recipe does not specify an exact storage term, it’s best consumed within a short period and not left unprotected. When reheating, heat only the amount that will be consumed and stir gently. The rice can become drier and denser after being in the refrigerator. If the dish has an unusual smell or texture, do not consume it.
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