Tri colored Baked Rice is a delicious vegetarian rice recipe that my grandmother would make for us growing up. The green layer is a spinach sauce, white is a creamy rice and topped with a tomato sauce baked with cheese on top.The layers resemble the colours of the Indian flag and this is a delicious Indian fusion treat. Such an easy recipe to make and so delicious this is also a kid friendly recipe. All the flavors work so well together and doesn’t over power each other. My grandmother would make this for us so often and this is such a nostalgic dish for me. I hope you love it as much as we all do.

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Baking Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 

Rice Layer:

• 1 cup rice boiled 

• White sauce 3/4th-1 cup

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Spinach layer:

• 200g spinach

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 inch ginger grated

• 1 green chili

• 1 medium onion chopped

• 1/2-1 tsp salt as per taste

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1/4-1/3 cup water 
  

Tomato layer:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3-4 garlic cloves finely sliced

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1/2 tsp Ajwain/nutmeg powder

• 1 tsp Red chili powder 

• 4 large tomatoes finely chopped

• 1-2 tsp Salt

• 1/4 tsp Pepper

• 1/4 tsp Sugar

• 1/3 cup water

• 1/3-2/3 cup shredded Italian/Amul cheese to top

Directions: 

1. Boil rice and keep aside. Add salt and 1-2 drops of oil while boiling.

2. Spinach Layer: Blanch spinach and keep aside.

3. In a pan on medium heat, add butter.

4. Add cumin seeds, grated ginger and green chili and let it crackle. Add onions and cook for 5-7 mins till it starts browning.

5. Add blanched spinach, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 mins.

6. Let it cool, add water and blend till smooth. Cook for 1-2 mins till slightly thickened and keep aside.

7. Tomato Layer: In a pan add olive oil. Add garlic cloves and cook for 2-3 mins till it starts getting fragrant.

8. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, red chili powder and ajwain powder and cook or 1-2 mins.

9. Add chopped onions and cook for 3-5 mins till it starts browning.

10. Add the tomatoes and cook it for 10-15 mins stirring frequently. Cook it till it breaks down and the tomatoes are well cooked.

11. Add salt, pepper, sugar and water and cook it together. Cook for 4-6 mins till it thickens.

12. Rice layer: Mix boiled rice with white sauce and heavy cream.

13. Layering: Spread the spinach sauce as the base.

14. Top with the rice layer.

15. Top with tomato layer.

16. Cover with cheese and bake in the oven at 350F for 10 mins and broil for 5 mins.

Notes/Tips:

• Make sure the sauces are not too liquid.

• The rice should not be over boiled otherwise it can be too mushy.

• You can make this and keep from before in the fridge for 2-3 days. It is a great for meal-prep. You can also freeze and keep this recipe for 1 month. Depending on if it’s been in the fridge or freezer, you’ll need to cook it for longer in the oven to make sure its hot and cooked through.