This Nando’s spicy rice cooks in one pot with red bell pepper, tomatoes, peas, and warm spices. The tomatoes go in first and cook down before the stock is added, so the rice takes on their flavor instead of sitting in a watery sauce. A covered rest at the end lets the grains finish cooking before you fluff them.
The recipe serves 4 as a side dish and takes about an hour start to finish, including prep and a 10-minute rest. Use a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Long-grain white rice is the right choice here; brown rice and instant rice need different liquid amounts and cooking times.
Servings: 4 as a side dish
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35–40 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Total time: 55–60 minutes
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
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1 medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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½ teaspoon smoked paprika
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½ teaspoon ground turmeric
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¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or ½ teaspoon for hotter rice
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7 ounces canned chopped tomatoes with their juice (200 g, about half a standard 14-ounce can)
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1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (about 185 g), rinsed and drained well
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1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock (360 ml)
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½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
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4 ounces frozen peas (115 g, about ¾ cup)
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1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
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Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook uncovered for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the pepper begins to turn tender.
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Add the garlic and spices. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir for another 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant.
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Cook down the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes and their juice. Cook uncovered for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and no longer watery. Lower the heat if the mixture starts sticking.
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Add the rice and stock. Stir in the drained rice until coated in the tomato mixture. Pour in the chicken stock and add the salt. Scrape the bottom gently to loosen anything that has stuck, then bring to a steady boil over medium-high heat.
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Cover and simmer. Stir once, cover, and immediately reduce the heat to low. Cook at a gentle simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
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Add the peas. Quickly lift the lid, scatter the frozen peas over the rice, and cover again without stirring. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. If the grains are still firm and the pan is dry, sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of hot water, cover, and cook for another 3–5 minutes.
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Rest and finish. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, then gently fluff with a fork to mix in the peas. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Rice choice: Use regular long-grain white rice. Brown rice and instant rice need different liquid amounts and cooking times.
- Heat level: Start with ¼ teaspoon cayenne for gentler heat. The original ½ teaspoon gives a more pronounced kick.
- Stock: Vegetable stock works in place of chicken stock.
- Texture: Keep the lid closed during the initial simmer and resting period. Fluff gently at the end rather than stirring repeatedly while the rice cooks.
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FAQs
Can I add water instead of broth?
Yes, water can be added. Whether you use water or broth is entirely up to you. I like to add the broth to give this dish that distinct Nando’s spicy rice flavor. You can also add a chicken stock cube if you wish. It also goes great with the spicy rice recipe.
How to set the quantity of water to make spicy rice?
If you want your rice to be juicy and tender, use two ratios one method. Use 2 cups of water for every cup of rice. If you mix the water and rice in a 1:1 ratio, your rice will be crunchy. So, for whatever rice recipe you
want to make, 2 ratios 1 works best.
How to store the leftover Nando’s spicy rice?
Nando’s spicy rice leftovers can be stored in a plastic box. The spicy rice can be kept both in the refrigerator and the freezer. The exact storing point is determined by the amount of time you want to keep it. Refrigerate the rice if you wish to keep it for 24 hours. If you’ve cooked a large batch of rice to serve the whole month with your favorite peri-peri chicken or fish, freeze it.
How to reheat the rice?
There are 3 techniques to reheat the rice.
- If you want to reheat the rice quickly, place it on a dish, and microwave it for a couple of minutes. To reheat the rice plate properly, place a moist cloth on top of the dish.
- Pan-heating is my preferred technique of heating. Place the rice in a pan with a splash of water and heat it. Make sure the rice is covered with a lid. While the rice is heating up, give it a gentle stir now and again.
- The oven is the third mode of heating. Place the rice and a splash of water in the oven tray. Aluminum foil should be used to cover the tray. Reheat the rice for 15 to 20 minutes at 300°F.
All of these techniques of reheating work well for safe heating. Keep in mind a few tips
- Before reheating, defrost the frozen rice in the fridge.
- Break up any large clump of rice with a fork before heating via any method.
