This colorful and flavorful turmeric rice is a fantastic side dish you can serve with a variety of mains. Perfect for a tasty and easy weeknight dinner!
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We serve rice as a side dish at least a few times a week. It's so quick, convenient and easy - and everybody likes rice.
The great thing about rice is that it's so easy to completely change the dish by simply adding an extra ingredient or two. And that's exactly what I've done for this simple turmeric rice recipe.
Basmati rice is cooked with some seasoning, which enhances both the flavor and the color, making it much more interesting and appetizing.
This method of cooking rice is also incredibly easy, and absolutely fail proof!
Love rice as much as I do? Check out my collection of rice recipes, or try my dill rice or pesto rice.
Ingredients
In this recipe you will need long grain rice. I like to use Basmati, but Jasmine rice can also work.
Additionally, you will need ground turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper, as well as water to boil the rice in.
Instructions
Start by heating up a splash of vegetable oil or olive oil in a pot.
Add the turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper, and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add the rice to the pot, and stir to coat the grains completely in the seasoning.
Add water to the pot, cover with a lid and bring it to a boil on high heat.
As soon as the rice is boiling, remove it from the heat and keep it covered for about 10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid has absorbed.
The rice grains absorb the water and finishes cooking when it's off the heat. Make sure to keep the steam and heat in the pot by not removing the lid until the 10-15 minutes are up.
Give the rice a stir with a fork to make it fluffy, then serve.
Top tips
Follow this advice to ensure a perfect result every time:
- Leave the lid on the rice for the suggested time. The rice will be cooked by the steam in the pot, and removing the lid will free the steam, which could cause the rice not to cook thoroughly.
- If you use another type of rice instead of Basmati, you should check the package instructions to gauge the correct rice to water ratio, as well as the suggested cooking time. Brown rice typically has a much longer cooking time.
Serving suggestions
Here are some excellent dishes that I love to serve with my turmeric rice:
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Air fryer whole chicken
- Slow cooker mojo chicken
- Sausage meatballs
- BBQ meatloaf
- Yogurt dill sauce
- Roasted carrots and green beans
Variations
Here are some of my favorite variations of this rice dish:
With vegetables: Stir in veggies, either before or after cooking. Peas, diced tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms or beans can all be excellent additions.
Spicy: If you want to make spicy rice, add a little chili paste or chili powder along with the other seasoning. The base recipe is very mild, and I often like to spice it up a little.
Leftovers
Leftover turmeric rice can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure to place it in the refrigerator as soon as it cools down, and store it in an airtight container.
The rice can be reheated in a microwave and served hot as a side dish, or served cold in other dishes such as salads. You can also use the leftover rice to make a flavorful version of tuna fried rice.
Frequently asked questions
Vegetables, seasoning and fresh herbs can all be added to rice to make it tasty.
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Recipe
Turmeric Rice
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by heating up a splash of vegetable oil or olive oil in a pot.
- Add the turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper, and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the rice to the pot, and stir to coat the grains completely in the seasoning.
- Add water to the pot, cover with a lid and bring it to a boil on high heat.
- As soon as the rice is boiling, remove it from the heat and keep it covered for about 10-15 minutes, or until all the liquid has absorbed.
- The rice grains absorb the water and finishes cooking when it’s off the heat. Make sure to keep the steam and heat in the pot by not removing the lid until the 10-15 minutes are up.
- Give the rice a stir with a fork to make it fluffy, then serve.
Video
Notes
- Leave the lid on the rice for the suggested time. The rice will be cooked by the steam in the pot, and removing the lid will free the steam, which could cause the rice not to cook thoroughly.
- If you use another type of rice instead of Basmati, you should check the package instructions to gauge the correct rice to water ratio.
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