Spicy Rice (Copycat)

Name: Spicy Rice (Copycat)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1.5 cups basmati rice (rinsed); 1 white onion (diced); 1 green pepper (diced); 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 0.5 can diced tomatoes (about half a cup); 500 ml vegetable stock; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp turmeric; 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper (or less for a milder rice); salt and black pepper (to taste); juice of 1 lemon (to finish); 1 handful fresh coriander (chopped, to finish); chilli flakes (optional, to finish)

Independent copycat-style recreation, not Nando's Australia’s official recipe (theirs is a trade secret) and not affiliated with Nando's Australia. This is a home version inspired by the menu item, worked out for a normal home kitchen.

A home version of the yellow spicy rice side: basmati rice simmered in vegetable stock with onion, green pepper, tomatoes, turmeric and a gentle chilli kick, finished with lemon and fresh coriander. It cooks in one pot in about 20 minutes. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate per serving.

Servings

10 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

Easy

Difficulty

240

Est. calories / serving

What it costs: restaurant vs home

Option	Cost
Spicy Rice (Regular) at Nando's Australia (typical price, from the menu page)	$5.95
This home version, per serving	$2
You save	$3.95 (66%)

Restaurant price is the typical figure from our Nando's Australia menu data (prices vary by location). Home cost is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient	Note
1.5 cups	basmati rice	rinsed
1	white onion	diced
1	green pepper	diced
2 tbsp	olive oil	n/a
2 cloves	garlic	minced
0.5 can	diced tomatoes	about half a cup
500 ml	vegetable stock	n/a
1 tsp	smoked paprika	n/a
1 tsp	turmeric	n/a
0.5 tsp	cayenne pepper	or less for a milder rice
n/a	salt and black pepper	to taste
n/a	juice of 1 lemon	to finish
1 handful	fresh coriander	chopped, to finish
n/a	chilli flakes	optional, to finish

Method

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion and green pepper for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until they start to soften.
Add the garlic, smoked paprika, turmeric and cayenne and cook for about a minute, stirring so the spices do not catch.
Tip in the diced tomatoes, the rinsed rice and the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper, and stir everything together.
Bring to a simmer, cover with a tight lid and cook on low for 10 to 15 minutes until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
If liquid is still sitting on top after that time, cover again and leave on the lowest heat for 5 more minutes, then rest off the heat for 5 minutes with the lid on.
Squeeze over the lemon juice, scatter the coriander and chilli flakes if using, and fluff with a fork before serving.

Tips

Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, unrinsed rice turns sticky.
Do not lift the lid while the rice simmers, the trapped steam is what cooks it evenly.
Cool leftovers within an hour and refrigerate, and reheat until piping hot before serving.

Allergen caution: whether the home version contains allergens depends entirely on the ingredients and brands you use. Check every label, and take extra care with shared surfaces and frying oil if anyone eating has an allergy.

Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by By The Forkful. Their Easy Homemade Nandos Spicy Rice was the reference point for the one-pot method, the spice mix and the lemon and coriander finish here. Our wording, quantities and method above are our own. The recipe above is complete as published here; the original is credited only as a reference for readers who want to compare: original tested recipe at By The Forkful.

See the full Nando's Australia menu & prices The original item: Spicy Rice (Regular)