Curried Ham & Rice
Submitted by smalone
Golden curried rice cooked pilaf-style in butter with cumin, turmeric, ginger, and cayenne, then folded with diced ham and sweet green peas. A one-pot dinner that turns leftover ham into something special.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
60 minGot leftover ham sitting in the fridge? This is exactly what you do with it.
Rice gets toasted in butter until translucent, then simmers in a fragrant blend of curry, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and a whisper of cayenne. The grains come out fluffy, golden, and loaded with warm spice.
Diced ham and green peas get stirred in at the end, just long enough to heat through. It’s a complete one-pot meal in about an hour, and the kind of thing you’ll start making every time you have ham to use up.
Pro Tips
- Toast the rice in the butter until it turns translucent before adding liquid. This pilaf technique gives each grain a nutty flavor and keeps them separate instead of clumpy.
- Use boiling water, not cold. Adding cold water to hot rice can shock the grains and lead to uneven cooking.
- Keep the lid on and resist peeking while the rice simmers. Steam does the work here.
- This is a great recipe for post-holiday ham. Smoky, salty ham pairs naturally with the warm curry spices.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in boiling water, curry powder, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, ginger, and pepper.
Heat to boiling and reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
Stir in peas and ham.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat 5 to 7 minutes, or until peas and ham are hot.
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