This beautiful rice dish is the other half of the Chicken with Cherry Sauce meal I made the other day. This rice is spiced and fragrant and it pairs amazingly well with not only Chicken with Cherry Sauce, but just about any curry dish you can think of.
White & Yellow Rice
(Yield: 4 servings)
1 ½ cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1 pod cardamom, crushed
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 ½ cup boiling water
1 pinch saffron threads (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)
1 tablespoon boiling water
Put half a kettle of water on to boil.
Put rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water a couple minutes until water runs clear; set aside.
Add oil to a medium saucepan with a lid over high heat; once hot, add bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom pod and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add rice and salt and cook (stirring occasionally) until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add 1 ½ cup boiling water to rice and bring to a rolling boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to low, and cook 10 minutes (don’t open the pot while the rice cooks).
After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer half the rice to a separate bowl.
In a small bowl, combine 1 pinch saffron threads (or turmeric, if you prefer) with 1 tablespoon boiling water; steep 1-2 minutes. Stir the colored water into half the rice (the rice will turn yellow).
Mix together the yellow rice and white rice.
Gorgeous Persian Saffron
Padhu says
Simple yet exotic.
Michelle says
This is a lovely dish. I bet it would pair perfectly with my crockpot chicken curry. Can't wait to try it!
Biren @ Roti n Rice says
What a beautiful side dish! I love flavored rice and I am sure this is as delicious as it looks.
Jennifer says
I love Indian/Middle Eastern inspired rice dishes, with the dry and fluffy texture, I could eat them by the bowlful! Beautiful roses and a beautiful dinner :-)
Stevie says
This kind of rice is always terrific. I am amazed by the vibrant red of your saffron threads, as well as the sheer number. That must have cost a fortune!
marla says
The yellow rice is fun too!
Reeni says
What a beautiful rice Faith! I bet is smelled fantastic as it cooked!
Victoria @ Mission: Food says
I love the effect of the two-toned rice! I definitely agree it would be perfect with curry :)
Joanne says
I absolutely adore Indian-spiced rice dishes. So deliciously flavorful that you could eat them on their own and be super happy! This looks wonderful!
Julie M. says
Look at all that saffron! You lucky girl you! This rice dish looks perfect and very versatile.
Blond Duck says
Happy Wednesday!
chriesi says
I am such a big rice fan and this dish is so fragant! Love love love it!
theUngourmet says
Your rice looks wonderful. I can't believe I've never used saffron at home...yet. :)
Chaya says
This is a perfect dish for a gluten-free home. I have never seen purple saffron. Pretty, isn't it?
Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons says
another reason why I need saffron STAT! <3 This looks beautiful =)
Steve @ HPD says
i must need a new strainer. when i tried to rinse my rice in it (a mesh type), i wound up with half the holes plugged with rice. i know it's not as thorough as using a strainer, but i just use the sink sprayer to blast the rice whilst in the sauce pan, letting it fill nearly to the top. then i slowly pour it off. two, three times max and the water's clear. probably wasting more water than you, though. cheers!
Ameena says
I've always wondered how combination rice is made...as a person who LOVES rice this is a super helpful post. Thank you for sharing!! I can't wait to try it.
Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook says
Simple but it looks fantastic! Love the flavors in there!
Magic of Spice says
Beautiful way to prepare rice, and those wonderful spices...lovely!
Maria @ Scandifoodie says
The rice looks so beautiful, I'm not a huge fan of saffron but it would be so perfect for this!
LeQuan says
What a beautiful rice dish. We usually eat white rice and it's no where as close to being as pretty as this. I need to experiment with different rice more.
Sutapa says
Exotic flavorful dish and I think saffron is perfect to give it a royal yellow color!
chopinandmysaucepan says
Multi-coloured rice always looks so appetizing!
coco says
what a delicious rice dish. I eat rice often but most of them eat them plain. I need to experiment more! ;)
Blond Duck says
I love the dishes you create!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Ooh look at your beautiful saffron stash Faith-it looks wonderful! :D
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy says
Simple and flavorful! I love saffron rice a lot.Make it the similar way!
Veronica says
Thank you Faith, I think this is the rice I've had at Indian restaurants! I will be using this with my next curry! Excited.
Priyanka says
I love rice and you have no idea how difficult it is to watch the pictures right now. Had I not given up rice, I would have made this asap!
Lu @ A Mix of it All says
It's not polite to make dishes that make people drool on their keyboards. I can't tell you how much I was a big comforting dish of that rice.
Erica says
Saffron may be expensive, but it does amazing things to dishes! Great rice. <3
Hannah says
I've always wondered what the secret was to this lovely multicolored rice whenever we go out and get Indian food- Now I know, and plan to make a big vat of it at home! Thank you so much for sharing. :)
Joyti says
It looks very Indian as well...and delicious with a side of curry. Yum!
Juliana says
Faith, you rice looks perfect, light and fluffy...and so pretty with saffron. Have a great week :-)
Nicole, RD says
Saffron is one ingredient I am yet to try out...but I love it so :) The rice is beautiful! I love the contrast of the yellow against the white. It really adds to such a simple, cheap side like rice.
tasteofbeirut says
I can eat tons of this rice!
aipi says
Simple yet so exotic - the rice is cooked to perfection!
US Masala
Patty Price says
Oh I like the spices in this rice dish, going to check out your chicken with cherry sauce, it sound so good;-)
Rosa says
A perfect side dish! So fragrant.
Cheers,
Rosa