Yellow Rice – Two quick and simple yet super delicious rice dishes, Indian and South African styles seasoned mainly with turmeric, ginger and curry powder for a taste bud sensation. A great accompaniment for kinds of curries, seafood and other meat dishes.
Not too long ago I shared with you a recipe for brown spinach green rice. Since then, it has become my go-to rice recipe and to put it mildly – the whole family is obsessed with it.
One of my resolutions this year was to not get into a cooking rut. So I have decided to switch things up a little bit and make another kind of rice. My heart was ultimately set on Cape Malay version of yellow rice.
What is yellow rice?
Yellow Rice is a popular traditional yellow-colored rice dish in cuisines like Spanish, Caribbean, Indian and South African, among others. It is usually made by mixing white rice with saffron or turmeric to give off a yellow color. Turmeric is a love or hate spice – you either hate it or love it. It has a peppery, warm and somewhat bitter flavor with a light fragrance.
So I started out wanting to make a traditional south African dish and then ended up with a Cuban/Indian style yellow rice (as seen above).
Then I decided to take my behind back to the kitchen and make what I had set out to make, because sometimes I shy away from using certain ingredients in a recipe. In this case, it was adding raisins and sugar to a savory rice side dish. After making it, I kinda liked it!
The turmeric, curry and ginger, mellows out the sugar and you are left with a simple, flavorful and aromatic side dish. Try both recipes of yellow rice and you decide which one you prefer.
Is yellow rice bad for you?
Most of those yellow rice boxes and packages that you can buy from the grocery stores are heavily loaded with chemicals, additives and MSG. So technically, that type of yellow rice is bad for you when you over indulge.
These yellow rice dishes here are made from scratch, which is waaay better than the boxed ones. And if you want to make it healthier for you, you can replace white rice with brown rice. You can also use low sodium broth to reduce the amount of salt. Aaaaand hey, adding some peas into this dish makes it healthy-ish, right? 😉
When cooking with spices I like to start by sautéing the spices so they can bloom. It really makes the dish taste a lot better.
However, if you don’t want to lift a finger and do any extra work, the super duper easy way to make this rice is just throwing everything in a pot, bring to a bowl and let it simmer for about 18 minutes (a rice cooker works fine too). If you like plump raisins soak them in warm water first for about an hour before cooking. Serve it with your favorite protein or with this other South African favorite bobotie.
Enjoy!!
Watch How to Make It
Yellow Rice
Ingredients
Indian Style Yellow Rice
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-45ml) cooking oil (or butter)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
- 1 teaspoon (8.5g) ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon (8.5g) smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) curry powder
- ½ teaspoon (4g) white pepper
- 2 cups (400g) white rice
- 1-1½ teaspoon (8-12g) turmeric powder
- 4 cups (945ml) chicken stock (or water)
- 1½ teaspoon (12g) salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon (4g) cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup (140g) peas, defrosted (or more)
- Black pepper to taste
South African Yellow Rice
- 2-3 tablespoons (28-45ml) cooking oil (or butter)
- 2 cups (400g) white rice
- 1-2 tablespoons (12.5-25g) brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoon (12g) turmeric
- ½ teaspoon (4g) ginger
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) curry powder optional
- 4 cups (945ml) chicken stock (or water)
- 1½ teaspoon (12g) salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup (80g) raisins
Instructions
Indian Style Yellow Rice
- Heat the oil or butter in a saucepan. Then add onions, garlic, ginger, paprika, curry pepper, cayenne pepper, and white pepper, and sauté for about a minute.
- Pour the rice into the pan and stir for about 2 minutes.
- Add 4 cups of stock/water and raisins, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the rice is almost cooked.
- Then, about 10-12 minutes into cooking, throw in the peas, cover, and continue cooking for a few more minutes until the rice is completely cooked.
- Fluff with a fork, transfer the rice to a bowl, and serve.
African Style Yellow Rice
- Heat the oil or butter in a saucepan. Add ginger, turmeric, and curry, then sauté for about a minute.
- Pour the rice into the pan and stir for about 2 minutes.
- Add 4 cups of stock/water and raisins, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.
- Simmer until rice is completely cooked (18-20 minutes, depending on how much liquid was added).
- Fluff with a fork, transfer the rice to a bowl, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- If the rice starts looking dry before it has cooked, you can add more hot chicken stock or rice. Add it a little at a time to avoid overdoing it.
- Don't skip sautéing the spices so they can bloom because it really makes the dish shine.
- If you like plumper raisins, soak them in warm water for about an hour before cooking.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make Yellow Rice
Indian Style Yellow Rice. Heat a saucepan with oil, then add onions, garlic, ginger , paprika, curry pepper, cayenne pepper, and white pepper sauté for about a minute.
Stir in rice to the pan, about 2 minutes, then add 4 cups of stock/water, bring to a boil reduce heat, and simmer until rice is almost cooked- about 10-12 minutes into cooking. Then throw in the peas, cover and continue cooking, for a few more minutes until rice is completely cooked.
You may add more stock if needed. Fluffy and serve.
South African Yellow Rice. Heat a saucepan with oil/ butter. Then add, ginger, turmeric, curry, and brown sugar. Sauté for about a minute. Stir in rice to the pan, about 2 minutes.
Then add 4 cups of stock/water and raisins bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer until rice is completely cooked – about 18- 20 minutes.
As the rice cooks you may add more stock if needed. Fluffy and serve.
Paul Herbert says
A spin on the kind of thing I already do, but some interesting variations which I’ll adopt. Liked the idea of raisins, and think I’ll go for green sultanas which my local south Asian supermarkets stock…and always had me wondering how I could use them.
Amina says
Thanks. That sounds great. Please let me know how it turns out.
Jenny says
The South African yellow rice was so delicious. Went perfectly with your Bobotie recipe. I covered the rice after reducing to a simmer for 20min and then took it off the heat, let it rest for 10min, and then fluffed it up…it was perfectly cooked and flavorful. Thanks for the great recipe!
imma africanbites says
You’re welcome, Jenny. And thank you for taking the time to comment. Now I’m thinking of making Bobotie and this one over the weekend.