Masala Rice
Masala Rice or ‘spiced rice’ is one dish that I always end up making when I have some leftover rice at home. I don’t waste food and use leftover food in many ways. This Masala Rice recipe is one such way. It is vegan, easy to make, gets done within minutes and very tasty too. In this post, I have also mentioned about my exclusive post on various other recipes that can be made using leftover rice. Give it a read.
About This Masala Rice
Thinking of what to do with the leftover rice at home? No worries, stir up this quick, easy and vegan Masala Rice. Best option for tiffin food too.
All you need to do is sauté some onions and tomatoes with your everyday spices and herbs. Then, add the rice to it and toss everything up. The result is a yummy spiced rice, that can be had plain or accompanied with a bowl of raita, yogurt, salad or pickle.
You can even prepare this Masala Rice with freshly cooked rice. Just remember to let the rice grains cool down completely before you add them to the spice or masala mixture. It makes for a filling brunch, lunch or dinner.
Masala Rice vs Masale Bhat
Though similar in words ‘masala’ and ‘bhat,’ which means rice in English, Masala Rice is quite different when compared to its close sibling Masale Bhat. Rice is the main ingredient in both, but this Masala Rice recipe uses leftover rice and Masale Bhat is made with uncooked rice. Thus, is more like a pulao in texture.
Masale Bhat is a popular Maharashtrian version, which is richer as its also loaded with many vegetables and more of spices as compared to the Masala Rice. Another significant thing that is a major differentiator between the two is a typical spice mix called Goda Masala that goes in Masale Bhat.
Other variations of the Masale Bhat include the Vangi Bath (Brinjal Rice), Tomato Bath (Tomato Rice) and the Tondli Bhaat (Ivy Gourd Rice).
For the garnish bit as well, there are more elements in the Masale Bhat versus the Masala Rice. Traditionally, grated coconut, coriander leaves and roasted cashewnuts are added to the Masale Bhat whereas just a sprinkle of fresh coriander is more than enough for the Masala Rice.
However, you can serve both these rice preparations with a raita of your choice or a bowl of plain yogurt (curd), salad and pickle amongst other things.
How to make Masala Rice
Prep and Make the Masala
1. Finely chop 1 green chili, 1 medium-sized tomato and 1 medium-sized onion. Measure the spices and keep the rest of the ingredients ready.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in pan. Keep the flame to a low. Add ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds and fry them till they splutter.
Use any neutral tasting oil. You can also use ghee for a vegetarian version.
3. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and fry till they are browned.
4. Now, add the finely chopped onions.
5. On a low to medium-low heat sauté onions stirring often till they soften and become translucent.
6. Add 1 sprig curry leaves (10 to 12 curry leaves) and finely chopped green chilies.
7. Sauté for 20 to 30 seconds on low heat.
8. Add the chopped tomatoes.
9. Stir and mix well. Sauté stirring often till the tomatoes soften and become mushy.
10. Now, add the following ingredients one by one:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder
11. Stir and mix well.
12. Add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and salt as required. You can skip asafoetida to make this dish gluten-free.
12. Sauté the masala or spice mixture for a minute keeping heat to a low so that the ground spices are not burned.
Make Masala Rice
13. Add 2 cups steamed rice or leftover rice. Ensure that the rice is completely cooled and not hot.
Adding hot to very hot rice will make the dish mushy or pasty with the rice grains breaking while stirring.
14. Stir and mix gently but thoroughly so that the masala coats the rice grains.
15. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more, while continuously stirring the rice on low heat.
16. Lastly, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
17. Mix with the rice or you can even garnish the masala rice with the coriander leaves while serving.
18. Serve the masala rice hot or warm with raita or a salad, pickle and papad.
Leftover Food Culture in India
The concept of using leftover food to create many more scrumptious dishes is a common phenomenon in India. As we Indians consider food to be godly and nothing less than an emotion, wastage of food is out of question.
The most common leftover food at an Indian household has mostly been the steamed rice. Over the years, many Indian recipes have been developed using leftover rice.
For instance, this Masala Rice itself along with other dishes like Lemon Rice, Curd Rice, Rice Pakoda, Rice Cutlet and more. Here are some more Leftover Rice Recipes that you must give a try.
Apart from dishes made using leftover rice, there are many other dishes from leftover food that are not just interesting but are really scrumptious. Like the Idli Chaat made with leftover idlis, Kuzhi Paniyaram or Sweet Paniyaram made with leftover idli batter or the lovely Punjabi style Aloo Tikki Chole chaat made with leftover chole.
Expert Tips
- Fry the whole spices in hot oil first so that they release their flavors completely. Make sure to add the powdered spices towards the end, just before the rice, as they are more delicate.
- The spice level in this Masala Rice is moderately hot. Tone down or increase the spiciness of the dish by decreasing or increasing the quantity of green chilies, red chili powder and garam masala powder as per your palate.
- You can add vegetables like green peas, corn, carrots, etc. to this recipe, to make it more nutritious and add a different texture too. If doing so, cook the veggies before adding the rice.
- After adding the leftover rice, make sure to stir the rice mixture with light hands or else the rice grains might break. The masala must coat the rice well.
- This Masala Rice can be made with garlic too. You can also skip adding the onion and garlic all together.
- You can prepare this dish in ghee and can also garnish it with fresh mint leaves. Using ghee in this recipe will make it a non-vegan dish.
- Turn this masala rice into gluten free too by skipping the asafoetida.
FAQs
Can I prepare the masala mixture a night before and use it the next day?
Yes, you can do that. You can prepare the masala mixture a night before and refrigerate it till further use.
What else can I make with leftover rice except for this Masala Rice?
You can prepare a lot of quick dishes with leftover rice like Fried Rice, Tawa Pulao, Tamarind Rice, Curd Rice, Rice Cutlet, Rice Pakoda, etc. Search with the words “Leftover Rice Recipes” on my website for more ideas.
What can I add to leftover plain white rice to make it more interesting?
You can refer to this Masala Rice recipe for a spicy, quick dish with leftover rice. Other than this, you can add vegetables, spices and herbs, sauces, seasonings, cheese, etc. to leftover rice and make interesting dishes out of it.
Can I prepare this Masala Rice with uncooked rice?
Yes, you can definitely do that. If doing so, make sure to soak the rice well before using it. Also, keep in mind the quantity of water that needs to be added while cooking the rice grains.
What type of rice should I use to prepare this Masala Rice?
You can use Basmati rice or any other long-grained rice/regular rice, or even short-grained rice varieties like Ambemohar rice, Sona Masuri rice or Kolam rice.
Can I skip the garam masala powder in this recipe?
Yes, you can.
Is it possible to add vegetables in this Masala Rice recipe?
Yes, you can add vegetables of your choice in this Masala Rice. However, there’s a separate Masale Bhat recipe with veggies that you can also give a try.
Can I cook this Masala Rice recipe in ghee?
Yes, you can definitely do that. But in that case, this dish won’t be vegan.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover rice or steamed rice – ensure that the cooked rice is completely cooled
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves – 10 to 12 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 green chili – chopped
- 1 onion – medium sized, finely chopped
- 1 tomato – medium sized, finely chopped
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder (ground fennel)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- salt as required
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves – optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet. Fry the mustard seeds on a low heat till they splutter.
- Add the cumin seeds and fry till they crackle.
- Now, add the onions and sauté stirring often till they soften and become translucent. Sauté onions on a low heat or medium-low heat.
- Add the curry leaves, green chili and sauté for 20 to 30 seconds on low heat.
- Add the tomatoes and sauté stirring often till they turn mushy.
- Now, add all the ground spice powders and asafoetida along with salt. Sauté the masala or spice mixture for a minute on low heat taking care that the ground spices do not burn.
- Add the leftover cooked rice. Stir gently and mix well so that the masala coats the rice grains.
- Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more, continuously stirring the rice gently on a low heat.
- Lastly, add coriander leaves and mix with the masala rice or you can even garnish the masala rice with the coriander leaves when serving.
- Serve masala rice hot or warm with raita or with a salad, pickle and papad.
Notes
- Remember to use cooked rice that has been cooled completely. Adding hot rice will result in the rice grains breaking while stirring and can result in a mushy or lumpy dish.
- Adjust the spices and seasonings according to your taste preferences.
- Make the dish more healthy by adding steamed, roasted or cooked vegetables like carrots, sweet corn, green peas, potatoes, cauliflower, bell peppers, baby corn etc.
- The recipe can be halved or doubled.
Nutrition
This Masala Rice post from the blog archives first published in June 2013 has been republished and updated on 24 April 2022.
I tend to make one big pot of rice each week to serve with multiple meals, but it gets boring. THIS IS PERFECT. My husband told me I can make this as often as I want, lol. It was really flavorful, and while it has heat, it’s not the sort that lingers and makes your mouth feel on fire. I recommend this website so often – literally everything I have made from it has been fantastic. Thanks!
Wonderful to know and thank you Jenny for sharing a positive review and feedback on the masala rice recipe. I am glad the other recipes you have made from the website are great too. Thanks again and wish you all the best.
Dear Dassana,
I don’t have words to express my gratitude for the help you are doing by sharing delicious, simple to cook and unique recipes. Thank you so much for everything. What I like about your blog is that you are so careful about detailing. Especially about quantity of ingredients with their pictures and sequence they follow in recipe. You are a wonderful cook and teacher too. Whatever I have tried all came out delicious. And I never got confuse about making it. I can go on cooking forever :).
My personal favorite is kothambir vadi, biryanis , kulfi and there are many more . Really yummy. Thank you Dassana.
Love,
Rhea
Hi Rhea, thank you so much for the wonderful and lovely feedback. I am happy that the fine detailing has helped you to cook great food. Thanks also for sharing your personal favorites. Most welcome and all the best.
Hello mam, Am from a village where I learnt few basics in cooking from my mom… For every girls their mom will be a good mentor in cooking now am learning from you mam…. Am so happy when ever I tried ur recipes in my home it came out very well… I love cooking and ur blog inspired me a lot… Am eagerly waiting for veg recipes of India mobile app mam…
thank you kalpana. i am so glad to read your comment. agree that for girls their moms are a good mentor in cooking. thanks again and happy cooking.
I want to admit that 90% of my cooking skills is learnt from you mam. Your website is my saviour. Thanks and lots of love. May you keep posting many more such delicious and yummy recipes.
thanks a lot misbah for this sweet comment. i am glad and happy. sure i will keep on adding recipes as and when i get time. thanks again and happy cooking.
Hi, l liked ur receipes very much. Everyday l follow ur different different recipes my children also loved to eat. Its yummy and tasty. Thanku very much for making my kitchen easy.
welcome suchitra, glad our blog could help you in your day to day cooking. thanks for positive feedback.
Really so spicy i definetly try it…
surely try and let us know how it was ashu 🙂
Hi mam,
I tried this recipe n it turned out to be awesome.. Thank u so much for such an easy n tasty recipe 🙂
glad you liked vaishnavi 🙂 thankyou so much and you are always welcome.
Hey m ur big fan seriously… Just love ur all the recipes.. Everyday i literally mean it EVERYDAY i refer to ur recipes.. It has become the most important part of my daily life.. You are a STAR. God bless u with all the happiness
thank you very much rashmi for this comment and also for your kind wishes.
The procedure you gave is very easy and comfortable to everybody who wants cook.I used the same methods and prepared tasty food at home.thankyou…
we are pleased to know this anu thankyou so much 🙂
easy fast simple and extremely delicious recipe..crazy yummy with chicken fry and some raita…its become a part of our family meals now…
thanks sherin
Hi I come across this a couple of weeks ago and love love love it!!! Just wanted to say thank you as this will become a regular favourite in my house 🙂 I was also wondering – as I have a christening coming up, and this would be a fantastic extra for the buffet – if its ok to make the ‘sauce/paste’ the night before then reheat it and add it to the rice the next day? Thanks again 🙂
welcome katherine. yes you can do that. you can make the masala paste before and refrigerate it.
I JUST LOVED THIS RECIPE….
thanks priya
Hi, I love indian cooking (the taste, the health benefits, cooking methods – everything) and didn’t want to go without when my in-laws from germany visited for easter. My MIL is an extremely fussy eater, she merely eats about 15 dishes in rotation and almost exclusively german. Schnitzel with potatoes. Bratwurst with spinach (not like you prepare it – just spinach, really). I served some grilled meat with a salad and this masala rice and sold it as “just spiced rice” – she literally gobbeled it up in no time! She never would have touched it if I told her it was an indian dish… 😉 I served it without chilis (some pickeled jalapenos on the side – she can’t eat hot at all) and curd.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Lisa
welcome lisa. great way to introduce new recipes to your mil. because your mil was neutral towards the recipe… she could enjoy it fully. all credit goes to your thoughtful mind. so many times our mind comes in between the reality and we miss something beautiful.
Dasanna, Please post Bishi Bele Huli Anna receipe
hi sandy, i have already replied to your comment before on bisi bele bath. just ordered a spice called as marathi moggu which is used the bisi bele bath spice mix. so waiting for the spice to arrive. will add in some days.
Hi Dassana!
I got my maid to make this for my husband this morning, as we were in a fix as to what to send him for lunch. It was very quick and easy to prepare and had a lovely flavor. Also, it was moist enough to be eaten on it’s own if required
thanks preeti for your feedback. glad to know that you liked the masala rice.
it will be nice with the images
Nice nice…super & simple dish…
Very simple and flavor packed rice dear
Just when I needed a simple yet yummy rice like this , you added this post!!
Thanks Dassana. The rice looks perfect as always! I’m making this today.
thanks pavithra
I use left over rice to make lemon rice, tomato rice etc….though while making this I’d add sliced boiled eggs too because this is mostly for kids lunch at school….now I am tempted to try your eggless way…..guess what I trick my kids calling this as amma’s 5 minute biriyani….and then they are sold!! 🙂
thanks nisa for sharing. we can make so many dishes using left over rice. lemon rice and tomato rice are two more great options.