Since our desire to remove white flours and sugars from our diet in 2011, I have been turning more and more towards rice as a side dish. The whole family loves it, it’s inexpensive and basically fool proof. You do, however, need to watch the arsenic levels in rice.
Turmeric is used for arthritis, heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, stomach bloating, loss of appetite, jaundice, liver problems and gallbladder disorders.
There just aren’t enough good things to say about turmeric and there is tons of research that shows how curcumin (the active component in turmeric) can not only regulate inflammation which leads to certain types of cancer, but also the other types of cancer where curcumin “actually seeks out malignant cancer cells and kills them,” as stated by Natural News.
All that just from making rice! You can’t get that from Rice-A-Roni, can you?
This dish is super simple to make. You start by using basmati rice. It’s easy to find – just try to always find organic to lessen your exposure to arsenic.
It cooks in just 20 minutes. The turmeric and cumin are what adds the beautiful yellow color, as well as flavor, to the rice.
I’m just getting started with the Indian spices and foods to be honest so I kept it more towards an American dish than authentic Indian. I also used dried spices not real.
But this yellow rice turned out so well. I plan on taking a visit to a local indian market for more inspiration.
But for now, this is an easy peasy yellow rice dish that you can make for your family to go along with just about any main entrée.
Print
Easy Yellow Rice
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Description
A fail proof, no brainer, easy side dish that takes no effort to make yet adds tons of flavor to boring rice and the added benefit of turmeric to your diet !
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Basmati or Jasmine Rice
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic, minced
- ¼–½ teaspoon Cumin
- ⅛–¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 whole Bay Leaf
Instructions
- Heat the butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the turmeric, garlic, cumin and cinnamon.
- Add the rice to the pot and cook (stirring occasionally) for about 2 minutes to slightly toast or brown the rice.
- Very carefully add the chicken broth and the bay leaf to the pot. Stir. Place a lid on it, increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. As SOON as it reaches a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. Do NOT lift the lid.
- After it simmers, turn the heat off and let the rice set for 10 min (again do NOT lift the lid).
- Fluff with a fork and serve!
Notes
Calories 72.6; Fat 2.6 gr; Cholesterol 5.2 mg; Sodium 126 mg; Carb 11.5 gr; Fiber .7 gr; Sugar .3 gr; Protein 1.6 gr
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Hi Debi, I’m making this for dinner right now 🙂 You say “turn off the heat” but I ask are you cooking on gas or electric stove top as the electric stays hotter longer. Should I “remove from heat”? or keep it on the hot burner for the last 10 minutes?
Hi Jess – I have an electric stove. How did it turn out since I didn’t see your comment until this morning 🙂
Hi Jess – I have an electric stove but what I meant by take it off the heat was take the entire pot off the burner. How did it turn out since I didn’t see your comment until this morning 🙂
Should I soak my basmati as i would if making plain basmati?
I did not presoak the rice Amina
Debi, I have just discovered your site and am looking forward to trying many of your recipes. I often cook dinner for my wife and adult daughter, and my only critique of your recipes is that they lack serving sizes. It is helpful when planning a meal. Thanks.
I’m so glad you found us Mark and I certainly appreciate a man who can cook! The newer recipes are starting to include serving size and nutrition info, but it will take a long time to update ALL the recipes, but I’m working on it. Thanks for your comment!