Red Rice with Steamed Vegetables & Mushrooms

🛒 Ingredients

• #Main Ingredients;
• 1 cup red rice — rinsed well.. 2¼ cups water or vegetable stock
• 1 small head broccoli — cut into florets.. ½ small head cauliflower — cut into florets
• 1 medium carrot — peeled, cut into rounds or sticks
• 150 g button mushrooms — cleaned, halved or sliced
• #Seasoning & Dressing;
• 1 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil.. 1 clove garlic — minced (optional)
• ½ tsp sea salt — adjust to taste.. ¼ tsp ground white or black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice or soy sauce — to brighten flavour
• Pinch of dried oregano or thyme — optional

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the red rice: Place red rice in a pot with water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer gently for 30–35 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender yet chewy. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5–10 minutes — do not stir.

2. 2

   Prepare vegetables: While rice cooks, cut broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, and mushrooms into even pieces so they cook uniformly. Rinse and drain well.

3. 3

   Steam the vegetables: Place all vegetables in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 6–8 minutes until bright coloured and tender-crisp — do not overcook or they will become mushy.

4. 4

   Season lightly: Whisk together oil, garlic (if using), salt, pepper, and lemon juice or soy sauce. Toss gently with the warm steamed vegetables to coat evenly.

5. 5

   Serve: Fluff the red rice gently with a fork. Arrange rice and vegetables neatly on a plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of dried herbs if desired. Enjoy warm!