Mushroom Keema Rice Bowl — a plant-based Indian recipe by BOSH!
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Mushroom Keema Rice Bowl

We make this one on repeat and it never gets old. There's something about blitzed mushrooms cooked down with all those warming spices that genuinely tricks your brain into thinking you're eating a proper keema, and we mean that as the highest compliment. The rice soaks up all those bold, fragrant flavours and every bite is savoury, a little spicy, and seriously satisfying. It comes together in 30 minutes too, which on a weeknight feels like an absolute gift. Make this tonight and we promise you'll be adding it to the regular rotation.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Food processor
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 5cm piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 green chilli
  • 30g coriander
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 400g mushrooms - we used chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 200g frozen peas
  • 2 x 250g bag(s) of microwavable basmati rice
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tomatoes
  • ½ cucumber
  • 4 chapatis
  • 1 small lettuce

Method

1

First, prepare the vegetables

  • Peel, halve and finely dice the onion
  • Peel and grate the garlic and ginger
  • Trim, halve, deseed and finely dice the chilli
  • Pick the coriander leaves and finely dice the stems
  • Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor to make a “mince”
2

Now, start the cooking process

  • Warm the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the onions and a small pinch of salt to the pan and stir for 5-6 minutes
  • Put the garlic, ginger, coriander stalks and chilli in the pan and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the garam masala, cumin and turmeric to the pan and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir for 8-9 minutes so they sweat down and most of the moisture escapes
  • Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook on a low heat for 8-10 minutes
  • Add the peas and the rice to the pan and gently stir for 2-3 minutes, until the peas are completely defrosted
3

Prepare your side salad

  • Halve the lettuce, remove the core and shred
  • Slice the tomatoes and cucumber
  • Warm the chapatis according to the packet instructions
4

Time to serve! 

  • Spoon the Mushroom Keema Rice into 4 bowls
  • Dress with the salad, garnish with remaining coriander leaves and serve immediately with chapatis

Tips & Variations

  • Use any mushrooms you like: We usually go with chestnut mushrooms but a mix of chestnut and portobello gives you an even deeper, earthier flavour. Trust us on this one.
  • Dial up the heat: If you love it spicy, leave the seeds in the chilli or add a pinch of cayenne with the spices. Henry always adds a little extra.
  • Make it a full spread: We love serving this with a dollop of coconut yoghurt on top and some mango chutney on the side. It cools everything down beautifully and makes it feel a bit more special.

Why This Works

The trick is blitzing the mushrooms in a food processor so they break down into a proper mince-like texture. When you cook that down with onion, garlic, ginger and chilli it becomes deeply savoury and meaty in the best possible way. Don't rush the onions at the start either, letting them soften slowly builds a sweet base that makes the whole dish taste like it's been cooking for hours.