Saffron Rice
- Minutes to Prepare:
- Minutes to Cook:
- Number of Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 cups raw Basmati rice1 tsp real saffron (expensive but worth it!)6 tablespoons unsalted butter1 3 inch stick cinnamon5 whole cloves1 cup finely chopped onion (2 medium)2 teaspoons salt1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1. Wash the rice well in a sieve or a large bowl, in several changes of water until the water is almost clear. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP of rinsing off the excess starch or your rice will be gummy. It is essential to get the lovely texture.
2. Put the saffron in a small bowl, cover with 3 tbsp boiling water, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves, then the onions. Over medium heat, stir often until the onions are very soft and just beginning to get a few brown edges.
4. Add the drained rice and stir to coat with butter and onions and cook a few minutes.. Again, getting the rice well coated with the butter before you add the liquid is essential for the texture.
5. Add 3 cups of boiling water, the salt and the cardamom seeds. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the saffron and liquid, stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook without peeking for 20 minutes. Take off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff gently with a fork so as not to break the rice grains and mound into a heated serving bowl.
Serves 6 as a main vegetarian dish, 8 as a side dish to Tandoori Chicken.
Number of Servings: 8
2. Put the saffron in a small bowl, cover with 3 tbsp boiling water, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves, then the onions. Over medium heat, stir often until the onions are very soft and just beginning to get a few brown edges.
4. Add the drained rice and stir to coat with butter and onions and cook a few minutes.. Again, getting the rice well coated with the butter before you add the liquid is essential for the texture.
5. Add 3 cups of boiling water, the salt and the cardamom seeds. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the saffron and liquid, stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook without peeking for 20 minutes. Take off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff gently with a fork so as not to break the rice grains and mound into a heated serving bowl.
Serves 6 as a main vegetarian dish, 8 as a side dish to Tandoori Chicken.
Number of Servings: 8
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 264.0
- Total Fat: 8.7 g
- Cholesterol: 23.3 mg
- Sodium: 1.8 mg
- Total Carbs: 1.7 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
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