Saffron Rice (with Basmati)
This easy and fragrant one pot saffron rice adds a pop of color and excitement to your meal plate. Serve it with any curry, stew, raita, salad or with grilled vegetable or meat sides like kababs/ koftas.
Ingredients
- 1 cupbasmati rice ((or jasmine rice, read note 1))
- 1 ½ cupswater ((or stock/ broth, read note 2))
- 1 ½ tablespoonsunsalted butter ((or ghee or extra virgin olive oil))
- ⅓ teaspoonsea salt ((adjust to taste preference))
- ¼ teaspoonsaffron stands ((loosely measured))
- ½ teaspoongrated ginger ((peeled fresh root))
- ¼ teaspoonground cardamom ((green cardamom powder))
- ¼ teaspoonground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoonnutmeg ((or fine grated and crushed))
- ¼ cuptoasted pistachios (chopped, i use unsalted)
- ¼ cupsweet raisins ((or sultanas or pomegranate arils))
Directions
- 1
Add rice to a colander or bowl and rinse well thrice. Drain completely. Mix together cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon in a small bowl. Keep this aside. Crush the saffron in a mortar pestle to a fine powder.
- 2
Melt butter in a saucepan and add raisins. Fry them on a medium heat, until plump. Remove to a small bowl, retaining most of the ghee in the pan.
- 3
Stir in the rice gently to coat it with the rest of the butter and let toast on a high heat for 2 mins. Stir gently only 1 to 2 times (taking care not to overdo else the grains can break) and toast for another 1 to 2 mins.
- 4
Add crushed saffron, ginger, salt and pour water. Give a gentle mix and bring the water to a rolling boil, on a high heat.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low and cook covered until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is cooked through. (It takes me about 13 to 15 mins but can vary depending on the cookware and intensity of heat)
- 6
Sprinkle the ground spices all over and cover back the pot. Let rest for 10 mins. Later fluff up the rice gently with a fork to spread the spices all over.
- 7
Garnish Saffron Rice with chopped toast pistachios, raisins or pomegranate arils. Serve with curry, lentils, kababs, grilled veggies or kofta.