Skip cooking a big pot of rice and throw the ingredients into a casserole dish instead for an easy dump-dinner meal. The basmati rice and chickpeas absorb all the delicious flavors of ginger, garlic, curry powder and coconut milk. Finish with a quick drizzle of yogurt along with fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges for a simple and complete meal that pulls from Indian pulao.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 5 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger (from a 1- to 2-inch piece)
- 1 serrano chile pepper, stemmed and finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably Madras
- Kosher salt
- Two 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 3 heaping cups)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Cilantro leaves, plain whole-milk yogurt and lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Whisk the vegetable broth, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, serrano, curry powder and 2 teaspoons salt together in a medium bowl until combined. Add the chickpeas and spinach and stir to coat.
- Spread the rice evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Pour in the coconut-milk mixture, distributing the chickpeas and spinach evenly over the rice. Scatter the cauliflower and onion over the top, making sure to go all the way to the edge of the pan (it’s okay if the cauliflower is not completely submerged in liquid).
- Cover tightly with foil and bake until the vegetables have softened but are still vibrant, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the cauliflower is charred in spots and the rice is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes more. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the rice to absorb more of the moisture. Serve topped with cilantro, a drizzle of yogurt and lime wedges for squeezing.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 572 |
| Total Fat | 23 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Carbohydrates | 80 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 13 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 1002 mg |
Reviews
I’ve made this a few times and I enjoy it more every time I make it! The prep isn’t bad, even better if you can divide up the work with a partner. We add a touch more salt – about 1/2 tsp, for 2 1/2 tsp total – but otherwise follow the recipe. I have made it with less red onion than it calls for (it looks like a lot!) but I found myself wishing there was more so I won’t be making that mistake again. Overall, I think this is a really delicious recipe and worth a try!
I love this recipe. Delicious! I’ve even made it with frozen spinach and cauliflower and it was still good. The addition of a tsp of garam masala is good too.
Loved this recipe. Made it exactly as stated except brown basmati. Came out perfect. Serrano always hot and my curry powder is custom mix from an Indian market and FRESH! That is very important for good flavor, fresh spices. I served it with hot sauce on the side. My meat and potatoes man actually went back for seconds. I will make it again and sneek in double the spinach.
I’ve made this twice, minus spinach, used brown basmati rice and a jalapeno pepper. My rice has taken longer than directed, but not a problem After last night’s baking, I did drizzle an additional half cup of homemade apple cider to bring up the moisure a bit. This is an overall very enjoyable dish we’re enjoying w/ pork and chicken.
Just made it , exactly as shown except added garam masala and some shawarma dry seasoning. The rice came out just right , and flavors are awesome.
I would roast the caulifower on a sheet pan…use the Uncle Bens..brown rice w/no flavor packet that takes 8 minutes to cook or cook this while the cauliflower is roasting, or pre cook some brown rice. If you like spice or a bolder flavor up the spices ..Grahm Masala would be a great addition. Then dump it all together and bake about 30 minutes..just to heat everything through…great meatless dish…however would be great with some rotisserie chicken added if needed..
Interesting! Maybe I’d like t try this. Mike Stice.
Love this recipe! We make it basically as directed but I like to add 2 crushed cardamom pods to the coconut milk mixture — really brightens it up!
Yummy!!
As written, this was very bland. I was actually embarrassed to serve it to my husband. It has potential with some changes, but recipes are made to be reviewed as is – it would have been completely tasteless without a lot of lime juice and salt at the end. The liquid was also completely absorbed well before the stated cook time ended, and the directions were followed exactly, so the dish ended up dry as well. Finally, what is the point of the spinach? It added no taste or texture. I’d replace it next time with cooked red peppers, perhaps. For the effort involved, I would not make this again.