Masala Rice Bowl

Ready for Thanksgiving? Let’s spice things up! This delicious Masala Rice Bowl has everything you need for a perfect Turkey Day side dish. The mix of fresh and cooked veggies creates a beautiful medley of color that will brighten up your holiday table. (Psst! It’s also healthy to boot!) Since the rice is cooled, you can make it a day ahead or use extra rice you have left over. Basmati lends a wonderful nutty flavor to this savory salad, but short-grain brown rice works well too. No garam masala? No problem. You can swap in ground saffron for a more Mediterranean flavor, or feel free to experiment with 2 teaspoons of your favorite spices. Enjoy!

Makes:

Serves 6-8

Hands-on time:

25 minutes

Start-to-eat time:

2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

4 large carrots, chopped
½ red onion, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon + 1 pinch salt, divided
pinch of pepper
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water
2 Persian cucumbers, diced
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons garam masala
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Kids kitchen skills:

roasting veggies
cooking rice
chopping & dicing

Tools:

knife & cutting board
measuring cups & spoons
small pot & fork
large casserole dish
spatula
large bowl
mixing spoon

Step-by-step

Grown-up steps

Heat the oven to 400° F. Mix the chopped carrots and diced onion in a casserole dish. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper (about ⅛ teaspoon). Roast for about 30-35 minutes, tossing the veggies halfway through, until the carrots and onion are golden brown. Let them cool.
Meanwhile, place the rice and water in a small pot, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for 35 minutes. Remove the rice from heat, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. Let it cool completely, about 1 hour. (If you like, you can prepare the rice 1 day ahead.)
While the rice is cooling, prepare the rest of your veggies, herbs, and spices.
Add all the herbs and veggies (including the carrots) to a large bowl. Pour in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of salt, and mix well.
Gently fold in the cooled rice, and top with the crumbled feta cheese. Serve up a savory salad and add some spice to your Thanksgiving table!