Rice & Carrots

Rice & Carrots  is one of my favourite ways to eat rice. 

Sometimes the simplest foods taste so good.  Take rice for instance.  Not much flavour to rice but with just a few extra ingredients it becomes a tasty dish to grace any table. I like plain old rice with just a little butter but it's amazing how good it is with a few more ingredients tossed in the pot.  This simple little dish is one of my favourite ways to eat rice. 

Many years ago, Mildred would bring this really fabulous rice to church potlucks.  I'd always question her on what was in it because it tasted so good.  She always told me it was just rice and carrots but I knew there was something else in that bowl besides rice and carrots.  Every time I tried to replicate the dish it never tasted like Mildred's rice.  Then, years later, on a whim, I added some black pepper to the mix and suddenly I had Mildred's rice! Mildred must have used a very fine grind of black pepper because there were no noticeable specks of pepper in the rice but the flavour was definitely there. Since that time I've added onions as well, because, you know, everything tastes better with onions (except dessert).    

Mildred always used white rice but brown rice works nicely as well.  The brown rice gives a chewier texture but the flavour is just as good.  Sometimes I'll use half white and brown rice as I did this past weekend. 

Printable recipe at end of post.

Rice & Carrots

• 1 cup parboiled rice, cooked according to package directions  (Use white or brown rice.)
• 1 large carrot, peeled, sliced and cooked tender crisp
• 1 small onion, small dice
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• Salt to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper, or to taste

How to make it:
Cook the rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking boil the carrots in a small amount of lightly salted water until tender crisp. Cook the onions in the butter until soft but not browned.  Salt to taste.

Combine the cooked rice, carrots, onions and butter. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Mix about ⅛ teaspoon pepper (or to taste) through the rice mixture.

Serve hot as a side-dish with veggie meatballs.

Makes 4-6 servings. 

Cook the rice according to package directions.  I used a mix of white and brown rice. While rice is cooking, prepare the carrots and onions. Cook the carrots tender crisp.  The onions should be cooked in the butter until soft but not browned.  Add salt to taste to the onions and carrots while cooking.

Combine the cooked rice, carrots, onions, butter and pepper together.

 Buttery, carrotty, oniony, peppery rice.  

Rice & Carrots make a perfect side-dish to veggie meatballs.

Delicious, but simple Rice & Carrots.

To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩