Here in the United States we use dill mostly as a flavoring in dishes like this classic vegan potato salad and in pickles. But in Indian cuisine dill is treated as a vegetable rather than an herb, and in the state of Maharashtra, to which my mom belonged, large bunches of dill are finely chopped to make a delicious side or sabzi called shepuchi bhaji. Dill is also commonly used in India as a leafy addition to dals and seafood dishes. But in my kitchen our favorite way to use this fragrant herb is in a dill rice – a dish that’s so aromatic and intensely flavorful despite its utter simplicity. This dill rice needs just six ingredients and it takes under 20 minutes to go from scratch to done. Unlike Middle Eastern or Persian dill rice, which uses butter as a flavoring, my Indian dill rice uses a few common spices like cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. This rice is great served with nearly any curry or dal, although I think the pungent, slightly bitter flavor of dill is best paired with a tangy dal or curry. Try it the next time you want a flavorful rice dish and be sure to let me know if you love it!
Why you will love this dill rice
It will add a whole new level of deliciousness to your culinary repertoire. If you love dill, you likely don’t need much convincing to try another delicious way to eat it. And even if you’ve never really eaten it or cooked with it before you will discover a whole new world of flavor. It needs just six ingredients and takes 20 minutes to make from scratch. And most of the time is hands-off, making this perfect for a weeknight dinner or for a lazy weekend meal. It is soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan, so it’s suited to all dietary needs. Rice and dill are both easy to digest, with the dill also contributing to improving digestive health. So no matter where you fall on the diet spectrum, adding in this dish can only help you.
How to make dill rice
Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the cardamom, cloves and bay leaves and saute for a few seconds until the spices are aromatic. This shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds to a minute over medium heat. Stir in the chopped fresh dill leaves. Mix for just a few seconds–you don’t reallyw ant to cook the dill at this stage.
Add the rinsed rice to the skillet and saute it for a minute or two until the strands turn opaque. Add the water or stock and stir it in. Add salt to taste and taste the water–it should taste a little saltier than you want the finished rice to be. You can also squeeze in some lemon juice at this stage, which will help keep the rice looking bright white (although if you use a vegetable broth keep in mind that could add a tint). When the liquid boils, cover the skillet with a tight lid and turn heat down to low. Set the timer for 15 minutes. About halfway through cooking stir the rice once, then cover again and let the rice cook undisturbed. Turn heat off and let the rice stand, without opening the lid, for 10 more minutes. Then fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
Serving suggestions
Any spicy curry is wonderful with this dish, like peas potato curry, massaman curry, or Goan feijoada. I also love the dill rice with this chickpea curry or check out more vegan curry recipes here. Serve this dill rice with a tangy dal. You can find dozens of dal recipes here, with the dal tadka or tomato dal being our favorites. Serve vegan raita and poppadum on the side.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: The dill rice can be stored in the fridge for four to five days. Freeze: Spread the rice on a baking sheet and freeze until cooled thoroughly. Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to four months. Reheat: Reheat the rice in the microwave until thawed and piping hot.
More vegan rice recipes
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