Cooking in Bulk: Savoury Rice

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During our recovery from gastric or bariatric surgery, we may only feel up to eating light food, so a nice thick steak may be out of the question. However, to aid our recovery, we need certain essential nutrients that we can either only obtain from poultry, meat and fish or are found there in their most concentrated or efficient forms – in particular protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12, not to mention omega-3 fatty acids only found in fish. This is an important consideration when you have only a limited stomach capacity.

During my recovery period, I found that I wasn’t up to heavy meat-based dishes, but preferred small rice meals containing some meat or tuna. I tried some commercially available savoury rice products, but found them unsuitable for various reasons, so searched out or devised my own. And, as I was still not up to fancy cooking, I kept them quick and easy to make. 

To store them, I discovered 300ml oblong plastic containers in the supermarket that were just the right size for my needs, and stacked beautifully in the freezer. (They might still be larger than your preferred portion size, but, of course, you need not fill them to the brim.) Not only were these little parcels just what I needed from a nutritional standpoint, they were convenient and handy to have in the freezer, ready to be eaten at any time of the day.

My first attempt at making savoury rice was with chicken, but I soon found that turkey was a much tastier option. As a darker meat than chicken, minced turkey can also be substituted for minced beef in the beef-based recipes. 

Canned tuna is not only tasty and convenient, it offers all the extra health benefits of fish. You’ll find tuna available in a wide range of price points, but for this recipe an economical brand will be fine. I prefer tuna in oil, but you can, of course, use tuna in spring water or brine and add olive or canola oil where required. If you prefer, you can substitute canned pink salmon or mackerel, just watch out for bones.

For the vegetarians among you, I've included one recipe with red lentils instead of meat or fish. Red lentils are high in fibre as well as being an excellent meat alternative as they contain more than 25% protein and are a rich source of iron and zinc. 

You’ll find that in most of these recipes, for the purposes of ease and convenience, I’ve used commercially available recipe base sachets. Those available in Australia come in approx. 30gm portions. You may have to make adjustments depending on the products available in your local supermarket, or make up your own seasoning.

Where the recipes specify Parmesan cheese, you can, of course, use freshly grated or shredded Parmesan, but I find that the finely grated Parmesan cheese that you can find on the supermarket shelf quite adequate.

When you do feel like making a single-serve meat or fish-based meal, go to the entry One Pot Main Courses and follow the links.

 

Recipes:

Savoury Rice with Chicken or Turkey

Savoury Rice with Tuna

Chilli Con Carne with Rice 

Beef Chow Mein with Rice 

Oriental Rice with Bacon

Curried Rice with Red Lentils


 

Savoury Rice with Chicken or Turkey

  • 500gm minced chicken or turkey
  • 500gm frozen mixed vegetables (preferably carrot, peas and corn)
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 litre salt reduced chicken stock
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 2 sachets recipe base for chicken of your choice (e.g. Satay Chicken, Creamy Chicken Curry etc)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a 5 litre saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil
  2. Add meat and sauté until browned
  3. Add frozen vegetables and sauté until heated through
  4. Add rice and stir through
  5. Add stock with recipe base and stir through
  6. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  7. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool
  8. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 16 serves)

Savoury Rice with Tuna

  • 1 x 425gm can tuna in oil
  • 500gm frozen mixed vegetables (preferably carrot, peas and corn)
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 litre salt reduced chicken stock
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 2 sachets Tuna Mornay recipe base

 

  1. Drain oil from tuna into a 5 litre saucepan.
  2. Turn out tuna onto a plate and flake thoroughly
  3. Sauté onion
  4. Add frozen vegetables and sauté until heated through
  5. Add tuna and stir until heated through
  6. Add rice and stir through
  7. Add stock with recipe base and stir through
  8. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  9. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool.
  10. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 16 serves)

 

Chilli Con Carne with Rice

  • 500gm minced lean beef (or turkey)
  • 1 x 400gm can red kidney beans
  • 1 x 400gm can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 1 medium red capsicum, chopped
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 2 sachets Chilli Con Carne recipe base
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a 5 litre saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil
  2. Add meat and sauté until browned
  3. Add capsicum and sauté until wilted
  4. Add carrot and sauté
  5. Add beans with the water and sauté until heated through
  6. Add diced tomatoes with recipe base and bring to the boil
  7. Simmer covered for 10 minutes
  8. Add rice and stir through
  9. Add 3 cups water, cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  10. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool
  11. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 12 serves)

 

Beef Chow Mein with Rice

  • 500gm lean minced beef (or turkey)
  • 400gm coleslaw mix (or ¼ cabbage, shredded and 1 carrot, grated)
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 2 sachets Beef Chow Mein recipe base
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a 5 litre saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil
  2. Add meat and sauté until browned
  3. Add vegetables and sauté
  4. Add rice and stir through
  5. Add recipe base with 1 litre water and stir through
  6. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  7. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool.
  8. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 14 serves)

Oriental Rice with Bacon

  • 250gm diced bacon
  • 500gm frozen mixed vegetables (preferably carrot, peas and corn)
  • ½ red capsicum, chopped
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 1 litre salt reduced chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce 
  • ½ tsp. white pepper (or Chinese 5-spice)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a 5 litre saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil with garlic and pepper
  2. Add bacon and sauté to heat through
  3. Add capsicum and sauté until beginning to wilt
  4. Add frozen vegetables and sauté until heated through
  5. Add rice and stir through
  6. Add stock with soy sauce and stir through
  7. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
  8. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool
  9. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 16 serves)


Curried Rice with Red Lentils

  • ¾ cup red lentils
  • 1¼ cups white rice
  • 500gm frozen mixed vegetables (preferably carrot, peas and corn)
  • ½ red capsicum, chopped
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 1 cup chopped onion (or 1 large onion, sliced)
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp. mild curry powder
  • ½ tsp. chilli or paprika (optional)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a 5 litre saucepan, sauté onion in canola oil with spices
  2. Add capsicum and sauté until beginning to wilt
  3. Add rice and lentils and sauté until translucent
  4. Add stock, bring to the boil and add mixed vegetables
  5. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes
  6. Stir thoroughly before allowing to cool
  7. Spoon into 300ml containers and freeze (makes approx. 16 serves)

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