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Indian-Style Hawaiian Pineapple Rice (Vegetarian)

A healthy, vegetarian and easy-to-cook Hawaiian-style pineapple rice with Indian flavours — sweet pineapple, veggies, mild spices and basmati rice, ready in about 25–30 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Fusion, Indian, Vegetarian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked basmati rice (preferably cooled or day-old)
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, drained if canned)
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup carrot diced or grated
  • 1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric optional, for mild Indian flavour
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder adjust for spice level
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • large frying pan or wok

Method
 

  1. If rice is freshly cooked, spread it on a plate and let it cool for 10–15 minutes so that grains loosen up. Using cooled or day-old rice gives better texture and prevents clumping.
  2. Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok on medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until onion becomes soft and slightly golden.
  3. Add minced garlic, diced carrot and green peas. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes until vegetables soften a bit.
  4. Now add the pineapple chunks and stir-fry for 2 minutes so pineapple warms up and lightly caramelizes. This brings out a sweet flavor.
  5. Sprinkle turmeric, red chili powder, black pepper and salt over the mixture. Stir well so spices coat the veggies and pineapple evenly.
  6. Add the cooled cooked rice. Gently fold rice with the vegetable-pineapple mix until everything is evenly combined. Cook for another 2–3 minutes so rice heats through and picks up flavours.
  7. Check seasoning. If needed, add a little more salt or pepper. Finally, turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped fresh coriander leaves on top. Mix gently.
  8. Serve the pineapple rice hot. It pairs well with plain yogurt or a simple vegetable salad for a balanced vegetarian meal.

Notes

For a more fibre-rich version, you can use brown rice instead of white basmati rice. If you like extra crunch and protein, feel free to add roasted cashews or peanuts before serving. Leftovers store well in the fridge for 2–3 days; reheat gently before eating.