About This Yellow Rice

Lovely Saffron rice is a rustic side that I love to serve with traditional Indian curries and saucy dishes. It is very fragrant, but still compliments other foods without overpowering all their flavors. Saffron, also known as Kesar in Hindi, is not only great to use in cooking for it’s pleasant aroma, but the spice also also has many health benefits. It is believed to be an anti-depressant, loaded with anti-oxidants and possibly has cancer-fighting and anti-aging properties. Additionally, saffron is known as an ingredient that’s good for digestion, blood circulation and healthy eyesight. This yellow rice also happens to be gluten-free, and can be made vegan if you swap the ghee (clarified butter) with any cooking oil. Healthy, pungent saffron is revered around the world for its rarity and unique flavor. And because it is difficult to grow and harvest, saffron is one of the most expensive spices and ingredients when compared cost-to-weight. Thankfully, just a pinch of saffron is enough to make your entire dish light up with its fragrant sweet aroma and slew of health benefits. Speaking of lighting up: another thing I love about this Saffron rice recipe is the beautiful yellow color. In the pictures below you’ll see rice with a slight yellow color because of the saffron. However, you can make your yellow rice an even more vibrantly yellow by adding a pinch of turmeric powder. This yellow rice recipe is very easy to make. Soak the rice first. Then simply fry the whole spices in oil and combine the saffron and rice, add water, and cook until done. That’s it! I typically serve it with Punjabi Rajma Masala, which is a tangy and spicy curry made with kidney beans. This beautiful rice dish can also be served with any Indian curry like veg kadai, lauki kofta, paneer butter masala. It will also go well with kadhi and any lentil dish like dal fry, dal tadka etc.

How to make Saffron Rice

Prep and Soak Rice

  1. First, measure out all of your ingredients and have them ready to go.
  2. Rinse 1.5 cups basmati rice 3 to 4 times in water, or until the water runs clear of the starch.
  3. Place the rice in a large container and add enough water to cover. Soak the rice for 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. After 20 to 30 minutes drain the water from the rice, and set the rice aside.
  5. Meanwhile, crush 2 to 3 pinches of saffron strands into a fine or semi-fine powder. The pinch here is not the chef’s pinch but a pinch between your thumb and index finger. You can crush saffron with your fingers or in a mortar-pestle.

Sauté Spices and Rice

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a deep pan or pot. Keep heat to a low and add all of the following spices listed below:

1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera) 2 to 3 green cardamoms 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) 1.5 inches cinnamon stick 2 to 3 cloves 1 thin strand of mace.

(Side note: if you are wondering why the tej patta is green in the photo – it is fresh leaf from the balcony garden.) 7. Fry the spices in the hot oil for some seconds or until fragrant. Let them crackle but take care to not let them burn. 8. Now add the soaked and drained rice. 9. On low to medium-low heat, stir for 1 to 2 minutes very well but gently, so that the ghee completely coats the rice grains. 10. Add the crushed saffron to the rice. 11. Add a pinch of turmeric powder now, if you plan to add it for extra color. 12. Stir and mix well but gently.

Cook Yellow Rice

  1. Add 3 cups of water or as required to the pan or pot. The water should cover the rice by an inch, so add a splash more or so of water if needed.
  2. Sprinkle in salt to taste. The water should taste slightly salty.
  3. Bring the water to a gentle simmer on low heat. Cover the pan tightly and let the rice cook until the grains separate and absorb all the water. You should see little air holes in the rice when it is done.
  4. Lift the lid and check the saffron rice a couple of times while it cooks, but do not stir. If it looks like the water is simmering off too quickly, and more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
  5. Be careful to not overcook the rice as it tastes best when served al dente or just cooked. Once the rice is just cooked, remove the pot from the heat and fluff the yellow rice with a fork.
  6. Garnish the Saffron rice with coriander or mint leaves, and serve with any lentil dish or Indian curry recipes. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Peas Pulao or Matar Pulao (Simple Steps, Delicious Results) Ghee Rice (Easy One Pot Recipe) Curd Rice Recipe | Daddojanam | Thayir Sadam Jeera Rice | Cumin Rice (Restaurant Style Recipe) This Saffron Rice recipe from the blog archives first published in May 2013 has been updated and republished on August 2021.

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