Curry Leaf Rice: Three Simple Recipes for Zen Wellness

In the storm of today's wellness craze, it’s easy to forget that once upon a time, wellness wasn’t something you chased after - it was just a part of life. Back then, people were simpler, humbler, and frankly, more human. Fast forward to the 21st century, and we're all racing for success, wealth, and achievements, with the daily grind and city traffic serving up pollution and viruses on a silver platter. Now, instead of wellness being a way of life, it's become something we scramble for, popping supplements like candy and treating medicine as food, instead of food as medicine (MALAY HERITAGE TURMERIC RICE).

But for those of you willing to hit pause, rethink, and maybe even re-look, there's always the option of simple, homemade wellness. Yes, eating out and ordering in might seem like the easier route - because who has time to cook, right? But the truth is, there are plenty of quick and easy dishes that can save the day, especially if you’re a fan of rice (and let's be honest, who isn't?).

Now, I know the so-called “smart” folks of today love to debate, analyze, and preach about what to eat, while conveniently ignoring their own health issues. So, let's leave the know-it-alls to their sermons and dive into some delicious recipes instead. Let’s talk curry leaves. Think you know curry leaves? Ask one of those self-proclaimed health gurus about the benefits of curry leaves, coconut oil, or ghee, and they’ll probably do a quick online search before parroting back what they find. But forget the copy-pasters; here are the real deal recipes.

And yes, I cook all my rice dishes in a rice cooker (AROMATIC CUMIN RICE). Fancy, huh? Oh, are you growing curry leaves? Because we’re in Nava’s Zen! Imagine taking a deep whiff of those fresh curry leaves right from the plant? Then, as you cook and after your curry leaf rice is ready, the aromatic scent lingering in the air. It’s a natural aromatherapy (LEMONGRASS RICE) remedy for your breath, body, mind, and soul.

Curry Leaf Coconut Oil Rice

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice (washed and rinsed)

3 cups water

A handful of curry leaves

2 tbsp coconut oil

A pinch of salt

Method

Heat up your rice cooker and pour in the coconut oil. Toss in the curry leaves and give them a quick stir.

Add the washed rice and stir it all together.

Pour in the water, add a pinch of salt, and give it another stir to mix everything evenly.

Let the rice cooker work its magic.

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it up with a chopstick or fork.

Curry Leaf Cashew Nut Rice

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice (washed and rinsed)

1 handful of cashew nuts

1 handful of curry leaves (snip some into tiny pieces, leave the rest whole)

2 tbsp oil

3 cups water

A pinch of salt

Method

Heat the rice cooker, fry the cashews until golden and crispy, then remove and set them aside.

In the same oil, add the snipped curry leaves and rice, giving it a quick stir.

Stir again 3 or 4 times, then pour in the water and add the remaining curry leaves. Give it one last stir.

Let the rice cooker do its thing.

Once cooked, fluff the rice with chopsticks, then sprinkle the cashews and a few fresh curry leaves on top before serving.

Curry Leaf Ghee Rice

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice (washed and rinsed)

A dollop of ghee

Some curry leaves

3 cups water

A pinch of salt

 

Method

Cook the rice in the rice cooker with the water.

Once cooked, add the ghee and curry leaves on top.

Swirl everything together, letting the heat from the rice melt the ghee and lightly crisp the curry leaves.