I LOVE Aracini! Yummy risotto balls bursting with tasty Italian flavor, oh so good! But recently I was experimenting with Royal Basmati Rice I was inspired to create Indian style rice balls! Yep, so here it is, my vegan Indian Arancini recipe! It’s like Samosa rice balls!! Enjoy!- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1⁄2 small yellow onion, minced
- 1⁄2 small red pepper, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 cup mashed potato (or cauliflower mash)
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 1⁄2 cups Royal Basmati Rice
- 1⁄4 tsp. crushed saffron
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ tsp garam masala powder
- ¾ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground corriander
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1⁄4 cup flour (gluten free if desired)
- 2 vegan eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups bread crumbs (gluten free if desired)
- Canola oil, for frying
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add peas. Stir in tomato paste, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, cooked down and well incorporated. Remove from heat and mix in mashed potatoes. Transfer meat filling to a bowl and let cool; refrigerate until chilled.
Heat remaining oil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir to coat. Stir in saffron and 1 1⁄2 cups broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Remove lid and stir in garam masala, cumin seeds, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Spread rice out on a plate and let cool.
Meanwhile, whisk together flour, vegan eggs, and 1⁄2 cup water in a shallow bowl until smooth; place bread crumbs in another bowl and set both aside.
To assemble, place 1 heaping tablespoon of rice in the palm of your hand; flatten into a disk. Place 1 tsp. chilled potato filling in center of rice disk and form rice around filling to encase it completely; press gently to form a ball or samosa style triangle. Roll ball in batter and then in bread crumbs until evenly coated. Transfer to a parchment paper—lined baking sheet; repeat with remaining rice, potato mixture, batter, and bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.
Pour oil into a 6-qt. Dutch oven to a depth of 2″ and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 360°. Working in batches, add rice balls to oil and fry until golden and heated through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rice balls to paper towels; let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with curry or sweet chili sauce for dipping.
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