Riz Casimir (Riz Casimir)

The beloved Swiss curry classic — fluffy long-grain rice with shredded chicken and tropical fruit, all wrapped in a delicate curry cream sauce. Sweet, savory, and unmistakably Swiss.

Amount	Ingredient
5 cups (1.2 L)	water
2	vegetable bouillon cubes
10½ oz (300 g)	long-grain rice (parboiled)
1 lb (500 g)	chicken, shredded
1 tsp	salt
pinch	black pepper
8¾ oz (250 g)	pineapple chunks
4½ oz (125 g)	peach pieces
4½ oz (125 g)	pear pieces (or fresh apples)
2¾ oz (80 g)	onion, halved
2 tsp (10 g)	butter
2 tbsp	flour
2 tbsp	mild curry powder
½ cup (100 g)	heavy cream
2 tbsp	cornstarch

Riz Casimir is Switzerland's most famous curry dish: a gentle, fragrant curry sauce over steamed rice, tender chicken, and a bright medley of pineapple, peach, and pear — with fried bananas as the traditional side. This version from Lidl Cuisine steams the rice and chicken together, then builds the sauce from the cooking liquid with butter, flour, curry, cream, and a touch of cornstarch. It's the taste of Swiss nostalgia, weeknight-friendly and endlessly comforting.

Ingredient notes: Canned fruit in juice is the practical choice — drain and measure it. Parboiled long-grain rice stays separate and fluffy. Mild curry powder is essential: this is a gentle, family-friendly curry, not a hot one. Fried banana halves are the classic garnish.

• Large pot with steamer insert
• Fine-mesh strainer or colander
• Medium saucepan (for the sauce)
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cup

1. Steam the rice and chicken (20 min). Put the water and bouillon cubes in a large pot with the steamer insert. Add the rice to the insert and the chicken to the flat tray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 20 minutes.
2. Add the fruit (5 min). Place the pineapple, peach, and pear pieces over the chicken, cover, and cook 5 minutes more.
3. Reserve the liquid (2 min). Remove the steamer and keep the rice warm. Collect the cooking liquid in a measuring cup.
4. Start the sauce (5 min). Put the onion in a blender and chop 5 seconds. In a saucepan, cook the onion with the butter, flour, and curry powder for 2 minutes, stirring.
5. Finish the sauce (5 min). Add 1¼ cups (350 g) of the cooking liquid, the cream, and the cornstarch. Stir well and bring to a boil.
6. Combine (7 min). Add the shredded chicken and the fruit to the sauce and simmer 7 minutes over gentle heat.
7. Serve (2 min). Plate the rice with the curry sauce over it and serve immediately, with fried banana halves if you like.

• Keep the rice warm. It waits while the sauce builds — don't let it dry out.
• Mild curry only. The charm is gentle warmth; hot curry changes the whole dish.
• The cooking liquid is the sauce base. Don't discard it — it carries all the chicken flavor.
• Cornstarch for silk. It gives the sauce body without flouriness.
• Fried bananas are traditional. Halved bananas fried in butter complete the Swiss experience.
• Taste before salting. The bouillon and seasoning carry the dish.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Hot curry powder	Overwhelming heat	Use mild curry
Discarding the liquid	Thin, weak sauce	Reserve and use it
Lumpy sauce	Flour not cooked	Cook the flour 2 minutes, then whisk
Overcooking the chicken	Dry shreds	Gentle 7-minute simmer
Clumpy rice	Sticky grains	Parboiled rice, don't stir too much
Skipping the bananas	Missing tradition	Fry halved bananas in butter

• Banana Fried: The classic side — halved bananas fried in butter.
• Mango Casimir: Add mango chunks with the other fruit.
• Coconut Casimir: Swap half the cream for coconut milk.
• Pork Casimir: Use sliced pork instead of chicken.
• Vegan Version: Use plant-based chicken, coconut cream, and vegan butter.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer	Freeze in portions for up to 2 months (rice and sauce separately).
Reheating	Warm gently in a skillet, adding a splash of liquid.

Sweet curry calls for:

• Riesling (off-dry) — Sweetness matches the fruit.
• Gewürztraminer — Spicy and aromatic.
• Müller-Thurgau — The Swiss classic.
• Light lager — Clean and refreshing.

Per Serving (about 1½ cups)
Calories	560
Protein	32 g
Fat	14 g
Carbohydrates	78 g
Fiber	4 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

What is Riz Casimir?

A Swiss classic created in the 1950s — curry rice with chicken and tropical fruit in a delicate curry cream sauce.

What fruit goes in it?

Pineapple, peach, and pear — plus fried bananas as the traditional garnish.

Is it spicy?

No — Swiss curry is gentle and aromatic, made with mild curry powder.

Can I make it without a steamer?

Yes — cook the rice and poach the chicken separately, then use the poaching liquid for the sauce.

What should I serve with it?

Nothing else needed — it's a complete one-plate meal.

• Pollo e Riso Casimir (Volume 3)
• Riso Basmati al Wok con Pollo e Verdure (Volume 3)
• Herb Rice with Chicken (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.