One of my favorite side dishes is yellow rice. I normally just buy a packet at the supermarket, but if you look at the list of ingredients you will quickly realize that it’s one unhealthy thing after another (and the sodium, holy blood pressure, the sodium is off the charts!). This recipe is adapted from one of Emeril’s Recipes. You can see it in photographs here under my Spicy Vegetarian Picadillo. This is incredibly easy – it’s one of those ‘set it and forget it’ recipes. Put it on while you’re making your main dish and when you’re ready for it, it will be ready for you!
Yellow Rice
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
In a medium saucepan, heat the turmeric and cumin over low heat until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the water, salt, and butter and bring to a boil. Add the rice and stir well. Cover and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cook, covered, without stirring until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, without stirring, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
