041 / 75 · Rice, noodles and pasta
Carrot and Cashew Basmati Rice
2 modest rice bowls, each with half the carrot rice and 15 g (0.53 oz) cashews · Active 14 min · Cook 23 min · Total 45 min
Print recipe · PDFSmall carrot pieces can cook alongside basmati without needing a second pan. The rice gets a proper covered simmer and a full stand before the cashews go on, so the grains soften while the nuts stay dry. Lemon and parsley brighten the finished bowl. This makes two modest rice meals rather than a large family pot.
Cut the carrot to match the rice
Dice the peeled carrot into pieces no larger than 5 mm. Thick coins may still be firm when the rice is ready. The carrot stays in the bowl throughout the absorption cook, and its moisture is part of the finished mixture. Rinse the rice in a fine sieve and drain it well before measuring the cooking water; do not leave a hidden puddle of rinsing water in the bowl.
Give the covered grain a quiet finish
Once the main simmer ends, leave the cover in place for five minutes. That rest lets moisture move through the grains before you fluff them. The cashews go on after portioning, not into the wet cook. The recipe uses ready-to-eat nuts and does not promise a toasted flavor or an extra frying stage.
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) dry white basmati rice, not brown, instant or parboiled rice
- 260 ml (about 1 US cup plus 1 US tbsp) water for the rice
- 120 g (4.2 oz) peeled carrot, cut into 5 mm (3/16 in) dice
- 5 ml (1 US tsp) olive oil
- 0.8 g ground cumin, about ⅓ tsp
- 1 g fine salt, about ⅛ US tsp plus a small pinch
- 30 g (1.1 oz) ready-to-eat unsalted cashews, roughly chopped
- 15 ml (1 US tbsp) lemon juice
- 5 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 2 US tbsp finely chopped
- Up to 30 ml (2 US tbsp) additional water, reserved only if the rice dries before becoming tender
Set out
1000 W microwave with turntable, Deep microwave-safe bowl, 2 L (about 2.1 US qt) measured capacity, about 19 cm (7½ in) inside diameter, Microwave-safe vented cover, Fine sieve, Knife and board, Fork and spoon, Kitchen scale and measuring jug, Oven mitts, Food thermometer for reheating leftovers, Two serving bowls
Allergens
Cashews. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Rinse the rice in the fine sieve and drain thoroughly. Combine it with the 260 ml water, carrot, olive oil, cumin and salt in the 2 L bowl. Spread the carrot through the rice and cover with the vented cover.
- Microwave at 1000 W full power for 4–5 minutes, until the liquid is bubbling. Reduce to 50% power and cook for 14–18 minutes. Check once halfway through, lifting the cover away from your face and gently redistributing any dry outer grains into the moist center. Keep the cover on between checks.
- The grains should be tender through their centers and the free liquid nearly absorbed. If the bowl is dry but the grain remains firm, stir in 15 ml (1 US tbsp) of the reserved water, cover and cook 1 minute at 50% power before checking again. Repeat once if needed; unused reserve water is not added. If liquid remains with tender rice, stand first rather than automatically draining the bowl.
- Leave covered outside the oven for 5 minutes. Fluff with the fork, stir in all the lemon juice and parsley, and divide the complete rice-carrot mixture between two bowls. Finish each with 15 g (0.53 oz) cashews and eat promptly.
The reserved water has a job
The 260 ml is the initial cooking measure. An additional 30 ml is a maximum correction allowance, added in 15 ml steps only if firm rice has gone dry. It is not an extra unmeasured sauce.
A small batch still needs headspace
Rice swells and its starchy water can foam. Keep the deep 2 L bowl and a vented cover; do not seal a jar or use a narrow mug.
Ingredient labels
Check ready-to-eat nuts and spices for additional allergens or cross-contact. The seed variation is not an automatic allergy-free claim.
A useful detail
The 45-minute planning total allows rinsing and chopping, up to 23 minutes sequential heating, a 5-minute covered stand and finishing. Extra endpoint-controlled bursts can extend it. This is a dry-rice cook, not a two-minute pouch reheating recipe. The stated timings start from a 1000 W oven; power cycling, bowl shape and rice brand affect the result.
Another way
- Replace the carrot with 120 g (4.2 oz) peeled parsnip in the same small dice; it may need an extra short covered burst if still firm.
- Replace the cashews with 30 g (1.1 oz) ready-to-eat pumpkin seeds. Check labels for nut cross-contact; keep the same dry finishing stage.
Keep it well
Eat freshly cooked if possible. Portion leftovers into shallow containers and chill quickly, ideally within 1 hour of the rice finishing, at 40°F/4°C or below. Use within 24 hours. Reheat only once, covered and stirred, to 165°F/74°C throughout, then stand covered for 2 minutes. Keep unused cashews dry separately; lemon does not restart the rice storage clock.