AI-generated image
Vagharela bhaat
Tempered leftover rice
Vagharela bhaat: Gujarati leftover rice tempered with mustard, cumin, onion, turmeric and chilli
Vagharela bhaat is how Gujarati cooks rescue yesterday's rice: a quick vaghar (tempering) of mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves, onion and green chilli, then the rice tossed through with turmeric and a squeeze of lemon. It is a one-pan lunch or late dinner, eaten with plain yogurt, a pickle or a bowl of kadhi. The common mistake is using freshly cooked, warm rice, which breaks and goes sticky; cold, fridge-firm rice keeps every grain separate. Food safety: cool leftover rice quickly, keep it in the fridge and use it within a day, and reheat it until piping hot all the way through. Chef's tip: crumble the cold rice with your fingers before it goes in the pan, so you never have to mash clumps in the pan.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 14 oz cooked ricecold, from the fridge, about 140 g uncooked
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onionmedium, thinly sliced
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Crumble 14 oz cooked rice with your fingers so no clumps remain.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan or kadai over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds; when they crackle, add ½ tsp cumin seeds and 8 curry leaves and let them sizzle for 10 seconds.
1 minStep 3: Add 1 onion and 2 green chillies and fry until the onion is soft and just turning golden, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 4: Stir in ½ tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder for 10 seconds, then add the rice, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar. Toss gently until every grain is yellow and the rice is piping hot right through, with no cold patches, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 5: Turn off the heat, squeeze over 1 tbsp lemon juice, fold in 3 tbsp fresh coriander and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vagharela bhaat take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cooked rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
