Ribbon Rice: Layered meat and rice dish

Ribbon rice is a colorful, multilayered rice dish with a ground beef mixture sandwiched between red and green rice flavored with spices and herbs.

There are some dishes that people always remember. It could be because of the taste of the dish, or how beautifully the dish was presented, or a combination.

This ribbon rice is definitely an impressive dish, that is beautifully presented and is so delicious.

The layers of rice are flavored with a refreshing green chutney and a slightly spicy red chutney, and in between is a delicious ground beef mixture. When layered together, you get the perfect bite with a little from each layer!

If you love one-dish meals made to impress, you will love this ribbon rice:

✓ looks impressive for entertaining or a fancy meal at home

✓ colorful, multilayered dish for the perfect centerpiece

✓ the perfect dish to make ahead to save time

✓ a full meal with layers of rice and meat

Looking for more Rice Main Dishes?

• Keema Masoor Pulao: One-Pot Pilaf with Lentils and Ground Beef
• Beef Pilau (Pulao)
• Pakistani Chicken Biryani Recipe

Ingredients for Ribbon Rice

The ribbon rice has 3 different components for three different layers.

Meat Layer

• Ground beef – any cut of ground beef works for this recipe.
• Ginger – Garlic Paste – This is a popular addition to lots of Pakistani and Indian dishes. It is made with equal parts of crushed ginger and crushed garlic. If you opt to make your own, you can make a big batch ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about two weeks.
• Fried Onions – make your own fried onions, or use store-bought. If using store-bought fried onions, try to use a brand that does not use flour to coat the onions, like the Nawabi brand found on Amazon.
• Ground Spices – coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder – these are the perfect spices to complement the ground beef.

Green and Red Layered Rice

• Rice – We typically use long-grain-aged Basmati rice for our rice recipes. We love using Royal Basmati Rice.
• Green Chutney – we make ours with lemon, coconut and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro. You can use your favorite green chutney recipe for this!
• Red Chutney – made with a combination of red chili sauce and ketchup. You might need to use less or more ketchup to adjust to your spice prefernece.

How to make Ribbon Rice?

Meat Mixture

In a pot on medium heat, add the ginger paste and garlic paste.

Add the chopped green chili and saute for a minute.

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Next, add the ground beef and mix well so that there are no lumps. If needed, add ¼ cup of water to help it cook. Cook the beef until it is no longer pink in color.

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Add the ground spices and mix well for a couple of minutes so that it’s well incorporated.

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Add the fried onion and mix well. If needed, add a little water to avoid getting burnt and stick to the bottom once combined.

Add the chopped tomatoes, or you can use crushed tomatoes, mix well. If using fresh tomatoes, cover and cook until the tomatoes have softened.

Once all is incorporated, cover the mixture and turn off the stove.

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Rice

Wash the rice and soak for 30-40 minutes or as per packet instructions

In a large pot, add 6-8 cups and boil, add salt, add the presoak washed rice, and simmer until it’s cooked.

Strain the rice with a colander or a slotted spoon and transfer it to a tray so that the rice does not stick together. Else the rice will stick together.

Let the rice cool completely.

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Green Chutney and Green Colored Rice

Blend the green chutney: To a blender, add all the ingredients and use as little water as possible as the leaves will have moisture. Blend until it is a smooth paste.

Mix the chutney in the rice: Add the green chutney to a large bowl. Add green food coloring if you want a more vibrant color.

Add in half the cooled rice with the green chutney. Gently mix with a fork until rice is fully coated.

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Red Chutney and Red Colored Rice

In another bowl, mix ketchup and Red chili sauce. Adjust the combination to your preference.

Add in the other half of the rice. Gently mix with a fork until rice is fully coated.

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Layering the rice

Grease a spring foam cake pan or ovenproof dish with a little oil.

Add a layer of green rice, lightly press with a spoon.

Next, layer on the cooked ground beef mixture and press it down gently.

Top with the red-colored rice, and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon.

You can use a cake spring dish, or pyrex dish, or small ramekins for individual servings.

Once ready to serve, turn it out on a plate to the green layer on top.

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Tips for Ribbon Rice

This ribbon rice is a make-ahead dish that is sure to impress if you are entertaining a crowd!

• Layering Tip – Make sure to press down each layer before moving onto the next, so that the ribbon rice layers are distinct.
• Entertaining Tips for Assembly – Use a springfoam cake pan (so you can detach the side) or a transparent pyrex dish so your guests can see the distinct layers. you can also use ramekins to make individual servings!
• Make Ahead Tip – Cook your rice to al-dente: This dish can be made ahead of time and reheating. Make sure to cook your rice aldente, so that it does not turn mushy when reheated.
• Reheating Tips – Assemble the rice in an oven safe dish like ramekins or a large pyrex dish for feeding a crowd. This way you can reheat the rice without losing the layers.

What to serve with Ribbon Rice?

This ribbon rice is a full meal on its own. If you are using this dish as a main for a dinner party, here are some of our favorite appetizers to serve it with:

• Paneer Tikka Skewers
• Chicken Shami Kabab: Chicken and Lentil Patties
• Gobi 65: Cauliflower in Chili-Garlic Sauce

If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess