Saffron Rice
Make fluffy Indian-Style Saffron Rice in just 20 minutes! This aromatic basmati rice has an easy technique to getting perfectly cooked yellow rice with bloomed saffron.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 213kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee or neutral oil
- 2 cups water (+ 2 tablespoon boiling hot water)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 8-9 strands saffron
Instructions
- Add the saffron to a mortar and pestle and grind it into a fine powder. Transfer the saffron to a small jar. Pour 2 tablespoons of boiling hot water into the jar. Swirl it around and let the saffron bloom for 15 minutes.
- Wash the rice. Place the rice in a large bowl and fill it with room temperature water. Give the rice a solid swirl with your hand, rubbing the grains to remove the starch. The water will be cloudy. Drain the water, and continue to rinse the rice (3-4 times) until the water runs clear.
- (Optional) Fill the bowl with fresh water again. Soak the rice for 30 minutes, then drain it for softer rice.
- Heat a pot on medium to high heat. Melt the ghee or add the neutral oil. Once hot, add the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. Allow the spices to bloom for one minute.
- Pour the washed rice into the pot and mix everything together. Allow the rice to toast for 2-3 minutes, mixing frequently.
- Pour in the 1.5 - 2 cups of water into the pot. Bring the water up to a boil. Then, turn the stove temperature down to low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook the rice for 8-10 minutes. Do not disturb or stir the rice.
- Turn off the stove once the water has been fully absorbed. Let the rice rest for 5 minutes to finish steaming with the lid on. After 5 minutes, uncover the rice and use a fork to fluff it up.
- Pour the bloomed saffron all over the rice. Stir it together until the rice is evenly covered.
- Keep it covered until it's ready to serve.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Store cooked basmati rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or 6 months in the freezer. If it starts to get stale, add a splash of water to the container (enough to cover the bottom of the container in a layer of water) and microwave it for 1-2 minutes with the lid on.
Water to rice ratio: Use a ratio of 1 cup of basmati rice to 2 cups of water if using basmati rice grown in India or Pakistan. Some American-grown brands require 1 cup of rice to 1.75 cups of water, so be sure to check the instructions on the packaging.
