Cumin Beef Rice Bake
Dinner | Mediterranean
This is a one-pan baked rice dish with seared beef mince, capsicum, onion and garlic, seasoned with ground cumin and coriander. We'll add the rice to the pan raw with the stock and spices, then put it into the oven. As it bakes, the rice absorbs the stock along with the rendered beef fat and the spices, so the flavour runs through every grain rather than sitting on top as a sauce. Cumin brings an earthy warmth, and the coriander adds a lighter, citrusy note to balance it.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g beef mince
- 1 brown onion
- 1 green capsicum
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- salt and pepper to taste
- 260g basmati rice
- 500ml beef or chicken stock
- ½ bunch mint to finish
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F) fan bake or 200°C (390°F) without fan force.
- Finely dice the onion, capsicums and garlic then set aside.
- Place a cast iron or heavy based pan over high heat with the oil. When the pan is hot, add the mince as one whole flat piece and season with an even pinch of salt. Sear the mince on one side for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Break up the mince using a spatula then add in the diced vegetables and stir. Sauté for 3-4 minutes over high heat while continuing to break up the mince.
- In the meantime, rinse the rice under cold water and drain off the excess starch twice. On the last rinse, completely drain off the excess water and set aside.
- Add ground cumin, coriander, ¼ tsp salt, a few cracks of ground black pepper, drained basmati rice and the stock to the pan.
- Bring the stock up to a simmer for 2 minutes on high heat, then transfer the whole pan to a preheated oven to bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and check that the rice is cooked. Adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.
- To serve, tear your mint leaves over the dish and enjoy.
Recipe notes
Beef mince
Use a regular beef mince with some fat in it rather than extra lean. The fat that renders out during searing coats the rice and carries the flavour of the spices through the dish.
Basmati rice
Basmati has long, slender grains that stay separate when cooked. Rinse it under cold water twice to wash off the surface starch, then drain it well. That starch is what makes rice gluggy, and any water left in it will throw out the ratio of rice to stock.
Cumin and coriander
These are the two spices that define the dish. They go into the pan with the rice and stock, so the rice absorbs their flavour as it cooks. Ground spices lose their aroma over time, so if yours have been in the cupboard for a while, it’s worth buying fresh.