Yellow Turmeric Rice (Vegan + GF)

This Yellow Turmeric Rice is a beautifully colourful side dish that will visually transform any dinner table! It’s also super easy to make, healthy and full of flavour. 

Why you’ll love this Yellow Turmeric Rice:

• It’s super quick and easy to make
• It comes together easily in one pot 
• It takes only 35 minutes to make
• It looks impressive
• It’s healthy and nutritious
• It caters for a range of dietary requirements because it’s vegan + gluten-free
• It works as a side dish but is filling enough to make a complete dinner
• It’s subtly spiced, fragrant and fruity!

What is turmeric?

• Turmeric is a plant from the ginger family, which has a bright orange colour.
• You can buy either fresh turmeric (which I love to use to make smoothies!) or ground, powdered turmeric. For this recipe you’ll need to use ground, powdered turmeric.
• It has a fragrant, slightly bitter flavour.
• Turmeric contains curcumin, which supposedly contains anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immune-boosting health benefits.

How do you cook Yellow Turmeric Rice?

1. Start by heating up the coconut oil – it adds a rich, buttery flavour which pairs beautifully with the fragrant turmeric (you can use any other type of oil though, such as olive, rapeseed or vegetable oil). Add the onions and fry them until softened.
2. Add the turmeric and fry for about a minute, until fragrant
3. Add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes until translucent – for perfectly fluffy yellow rice, you should use a long-grain rice (my favourite is Basmati)
4. Add all the other ingredients like carrots, lemon peel (for a fresh, brightly citrusy aroma), raisins (for pops of juicy sweetness – you can substitute dried cranberries, dried cherries or chopped dates), frozen green peas (for fibre and protein)
5. Dissolve the stock cube in boiling water, add to the rice and mix well
6. Bring to the boil, keep a lid over it and cook for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed
7. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on for a further 5 minutes
8. Discard the lemon peel and fluff up the rice with a fork before serving

Tips for making this Yellow Turmeric Rice

• You’re probably wondering how much turmeric do you add to make Yellow Rice? Make sure to not add too much, otherwise the turmeric flavour will be too strong (I’ve made this mistake before!) and don’t add too little otherwise your rice won’t turn yellow!
• Make sure to cook the onion properly before adding the other ingredients, as otherwise the onion won’t cook and will be hard and crunchy.
• Make sure to cut the lemon peel in pieces large enough to take out and discard before serving – nobody wants to be surprised with a bite of bitter lemon rind!
• Make sure to use a measuring jug to measure the amount of water exactly – too much and the rice will be uncooked and hard, too much and it will be watery and soupy.
• If using a stock cube, make sure you’ve dissolved it completely in boiling hot water before adding it to the rice otherwise you’ll end up with clumps of stock in your rice and the flavour won’t be distributed evenly. You can alternatively use liquid stock.
• Cook in a deep frying pan or a pot with a lid until all the water has been absorbed.
• Once you’ve turned off the heat, leave the cooked rice in the pan with the lid on for a further 5 minutes.

How to serve this Yellow Turmeric Rice

This Yellow Turmeric Rice makes a great side dish but also works as a proper meal, especially if you add some chickpeas, and maybe some extra vegetables. It’s also delicious served with a fruity salad, such as:

• Papaya Mint Lime Salad
• Thai Mango Salad
• Mango Daikon Radish Mint Salad

How long does this Yellow Turmeric Rice keep for?

This Yellow Turmeric Rice keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days. You can reheat it until piping hot in a dry frying pan with a lid, or in the microwave.

More flavourful rice recipes:

• Portuguese Tomato Rice
• Thai Green Curry Rice
• Pumpkin Chestnut Risotto
• Miso Brown Rice Soup
• Chickpea Pumpkin Biryani

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

4 from 3 votes

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Yellow Turmeric Rice (Vegan + GF)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

This Yellow Turmeric Rice is a beautifully colourful side dish that will visually transform any dinner table!

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: indian side dish, turmeric rice, yellow rice

Servings: 4

Calories: 329 kcal

Ingredients (click 'US Customary' for US measurements)

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or sub olive, rapeseed or vegetable oil)
• 1 onion , diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 255 g uncooked white Basmati rice (or any other long-grain rice)
• 1 carrot , diced
• Peel of 1 unwaxed lemon cut large enough to take out, or alternatively use the grated zest of 1 lemon
• 40 g raisins (or sub dried cherries, cranberries or chopped dates)
• 75 g frozen green peas
• Salt + pepper, to taste
• 1 vegetable stock cube (ensure gluten-free if necessary)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a saucepan until hot

2. Add onions and fry for around 7 minutes, until softened

3. Add turmeric and fry for about a minute, until fragrant

4. Add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes until translucent 

5. Add the carrot, lemon peel, raisins, frozen green peas and salt + pepper

6. Dissolve the stock cube in 415 ml (1 3/4 cup) boiling water

7. Add the stock mixture to the rice and mix well

8. Bring to the boil, keep a lid over it and cook for 15 minutes until all water is absorbed

9. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on for a further 5 minutes

10. Discard the lemon peel and fluff up the rice with a fork before serving

11. Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days - reheat until piping hot in a dry frying pan with a lid, or in the microwave
    

Recipe Notes

Tips for making this Yellow Turmeric Rice

• Make sure to cook the onion properly before adding the other ingredients, as otherwise the onion won't cook and will be hard and crunchy.
• Make sure to cut the lemon peel in pieces large enough to take out and discard before serving - nobody wants to be surprised with a bite of bitter lemon rind!
• Make sure to use a measuring jug to measure the amount of water exactly - too much and the rice will be uncooked and hard, too much and it will be watery and soupy.
• If using a stock cube, make sure you've dissolved it completely in boiling hot water before adding it to the rice otherwise you'll end up with clumps of stock in your rice and the flavour won't be distributed evenly. You can alternatively use liquid stock.

This Yellow Turmeric Rice keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days. You can reheat it until piping hot in a dry frying pan with a lid, or in the microwave.

Nutrition Facts

Yellow Turmeric Rice (Vegan + GF)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 329 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Sodium 188mg 8%

Potassium 290mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 65g 22%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 3g

Protein 6g 12%

Vitamin A 53.8%

Vitamin C 13.3%

Calcium 3.7%

Iron 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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