Gloriously bright and vibrant, this Turmeric Rice Pilaf is perfectly fluffy and packs a lot of flavour. Nutritious and quick to make, it's the perfect side dish to serve on any night of the week, but also very company-worthy.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time25 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Servings: 4to 6
Ingredients
1tablespoonunsalted butter or ghee or coconut oil
1tablespoonolive oil or coconut oilor use all butter
1medium onionfinely diced
4clovesgarlicminced
1 1/2cups295g basmati rice or your choice of long-grain rice, rinsed and drained (see notes)
1teaspoonturmeric powder
1/2tspsaltor a pinch more to taste
1/4tspblack pepperor to taste
2 1/4cupslow-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
1bay leaf
chopped cilantro for garnishoptional
Instructions
Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium-size deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
Add the rice, turmeric, salt and pepper to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the grains are completely coated in oil and looking a little toasty, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and let cook undisturbed 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, leaving the lid on, and let rest 10 minutes (no peeking!).
Remove lid, discard bay leaf and use a large fork to gently fluff rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
To rinse rice:
Place rice in a medium bowl (I like to use a 4 cup measuring cup) and fill with cool water from the tap. Turn off the water and swish the grains around with your hand as though you were washing them. Pour out the starchy water as best you can without spilling any rice. Fill with water again and repeat until the water is much clearer, about 4 times total. Note that the water does not have to be crystal clear. Drain the water and rice in a fine mesh strainer then set the strainer (with the rice still in it) over a bowl and let drain any remaining water for 1 minute or so.
To store: Store the yellow rice in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat: For best results I like to reheat the rice on the stovetop. Add a few splashes of water or broth to a skillet and reheat rice over medium heat, covered, until warmed through.