Rice has never tasted this good. Yellow rice or what the Malay’s say “Nasi Kuning”, a set of rice-based foods made with cloves, some ghee and bismati rice, gives ‘rice’ a whole new level of flavours. Its yellowish appearance, thanks to the addition of turmeric, gives it an exotic look and eliminates any blandness from the taste of the rice. No wonder they are a constant feature at functions, especially Indian and Malay weddings!
The key ingredient in this dish is the ghee, and if you want this dish to be at its best, I suggest you forget about skimping on the ghee. Ghee is actually a class of clarified butter, consisting almost entirely of fat with a slightly toasted flavour. This comes from the action of heat that is required to remove the moisture from butter before it is converted into ghee. As it is not advisable to be eaten in large quantities, I guess it’s a good thing this dish is a ‘once-in-a-while’ type of indulgence.
The spices also play a key role in providing the different layers of flavours to the rice. Amongst them is the ever-popular cloves. Eugenol, which is the essential oil in cloves is the compound that gives cloves its unique aroma. Often described as strong and pungent, cloves gives life to the dishes it is added to. Do use them sparingly though..like most other spices, a little goes a long way.
Yellow rice is excellent with a host of spicy Asian dishes and curries. I like it best with our Easy Chicken Kurma dish. For an even more exotic touch, you could add some cashews and sultanas in the rice. Not only do they enhance its appearance, they also provide little surprises of delight in the taste department. As tasty as this dish can be with the extra sauce toppings, just remember to eat in moderation:)
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-3
1 cup Basmati rice or any long grain rice, washed to remove any impurities
3 tablespoons of Ghee
4 cloves
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon saffron, soaked in 2 milk
1 teaspoon salt
handful or parsley and sultanas for garnish
1. Heat ghee in a large saucepan over high heat. Add cloves and fry for a few seconds or until fragrant
2. Add rice and mix thoroughly, consistently stirring the rice so it does not stick to the saucepan
3. Transfer rice mixture to a rice cooker. Add water, saffron and salt
4. Cook for approximately 15 minutes
5. Using the back of a fork, fluff up the rice
6. Dish onto a clean plate and serve with parsley and sultanas
7. Serve immediately with curries or dishes with sauce
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