Nice Spice Rice

Nice Spice Rice

This one's become a proper weeknight staple for us. Nice Spice Rice is everything we want in a dinner: big bold flavours, loads of veg, and that satisfying hit of heat that makes you go back for another forkful. We're talking ginger, garlic, chilli, kale, and pepper all coming together in a wok with rice that soaks up every bit of that spicy, fragrant goodness. It's the kind of meal that feels a bit special but comes together in about 25 minutes. Honestly, make this tonight.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Wok

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 500g cooked basmati rice
  • salt to taste
  • 100g kale
  • 2 garlic cloves large
  • 5cm piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 large red chilli
  • 5 spring onions
  • 25ml maple syrup
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 60g small asparagus shoots
  • 80g sugar snap peas
  • 80g sprouting broccoli
  • 30ml water
  • 120g smooth peanut butter - thinner is better for this
  • 80g baby corn
  • 1 lime
  • Sriracha sauce
  • 20g coriander leaves
  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce

Method

1

Prep the vegetables

  • Chop the kale and coriander and set aside
  • Peel and finely slice the garlic
  • Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and finely slice
  • Rip the stem from the chilli then cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour
  • Finely chop the chilli and spring onions
  • Cut the pepper in half and cut out the stem and seeds, then cut into bite-sized chunks along with the rest of the vegetables
2

Infuse the oil

  • Add the coconut oil to the wok and stir until melted
  • Add the toasted sesame oil and let it infuse into the coconut oil
  • Add the garlic and ginger and stir them around for 1–2 minutes, until the ginger looks like it’s begun to froth
3

Cook the vegetables

  • Add the chopped chilli and spring onions and stir until the onions have softened
  • Pour in the maple syrup and soy sauce and stir
  • Add the corn, asparagus and red pepper and stir for roughly 1 minute
  • Throw in the sugar snap peas and broccoli and stir for another minute
  • Add the peanut butter and water to the pan and stir until all the vegetables are well covered
  • Finally, add the kale and stir until it is slightly wilted
  • Taste and season with salt if necessary
  • Turn the heat down to low
4

Finish and serve

  • Add the rice to the wok and fold it into the vegetables for 2 minutes
  • Sprinkle over the coriander and briefly stir through
  • Serve immediately with wedges of fresh lime and sriracha sauce on the side, if using

Tips & Variations

  • Use day-old rice: Fresh rice can go a bit clumpy in the pan. If you've got leftover rice from the night before, this is the perfect use for it. It fries up so much better.
  • Control the heat: We leave the chilli seeds in because we love it fiery, but scoop them out if you want something a little gentler. It's still got loads of flavour without the full kick.
  • Bulk it out: Ian loves throwing in some crispy tofu or edamame to make it even more filling. Just cook the tofu separately and toss it in at the end so it stays nice and crisp.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting your wok or pan really hot before anything goes in. That high heat is what gives the rice that slightly smoky, restaurant-style finish rather than just a soggy stir-fry. Layering the aromatics, garlic, ginger, and chilli, at the start means every grain of rice ends up packed with flavour rather than bland in the middle.