Saffron rice is a savory rice dish common in the Eastern Mediterrannean, the Middle East, India, and more. It is a good counter balance for sweeter main dishes. I recently made this as a side for a lamb chop and spiced plums main dish. The original source of the recipe is on Tori Avey - Mediterranean Cuisine and Culture, Jewish Cooking, How-To Tutorials, and more.
Note: it's important to use a good quality saffron for this recipe. There are several types of "faux safrron" on the market which are inexpensive, but flavorless. True saffron is very pricey, but you only need a little to add a lot of flavor.
Serves
This recipe will serve 12 people as a side dish. You can cut the quantities in half and it is a good amount for a family dinner.
Takes (how long)
5 minutes prep and 40 minutes cook time.
Special tools
mortar and pestle
Ingredients
1/4 tsp high quality saffron threads
1/4 cup hot water
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
2 cups white basmati rice
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 tsp salt
Method
Take 1/8 tsp saffron threads and put them in a spice mortar. Grind the spice with a pestle to a powdery consistency.
Add the other 1/8 tsp saffron threads to the mortar. Do not crush these remaining threads.
Pour 1/4 cup of hot water into the mortar. Let all of the saffron soak for 5 minutes. This will open up the flavor of the spice.
Meanwhile, sort your basmati rice and rinse in a colander. Drain.
In a large heavy pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium. Add the minced onion to the pot and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring very frequently, until the onion is very soft and begins to caramelize.
Add rinsed rice to the pot and sauté for one minute longer, mixing the rice together with the cooked onion.
Pour the yellow soaked saffron liquid evenly across the top of the rice.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir. Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds.
Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let the rice cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep pot covered, and continue to let the rice sit and steam in the covered pot for 10 minutes longer.
Fluff the rice with a fork before serving, stirring well to break up the rice and incorporate the cooked onion.
Ingredients after the saffron "broth" is made, before cooking
cooking the onions
Rice with the saffron added to it
And the stock added
Final outcome
Note: it's important to use a good quality saffron for this recipe. There are several types of "faux safrron" on the market which are inexpensive, but flavorless. True saffron is very pricey, but you only need a little to add a lot of flavor.
Serves
This recipe will serve 12 people as a side dish. You can cut the quantities in half and it is a good amount for a family dinner.
Takes (how long)
5 minutes prep and 40 minutes cook time.
Special tools
mortar and pestle
Ingredients
1/4 tsp high quality saffron threads
1/4 cup hot water
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
2 cups white basmati rice
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 tsp salt
Method
Take 1/8 tsp saffron threads and put them in a spice mortar. Grind the spice with a pestle to a powdery consistency.
Add the other 1/8 tsp saffron threads to the mortar. Do not crush these remaining threads.
Pour 1/4 cup of hot water into the mortar. Let all of the saffron soak for 5 minutes. This will open up the flavor of the spice.
Meanwhile, sort your basmati rice and rinse in a colander. Drain.
In a large heavy pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium. Add the minced onion to the pot and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring very frequently, until the onion is very soft and begins to caramelize.
Add rinsed rice to the pot and sauté for one minute longer, mixing the rice together with the cooked onion.
Pour the yellow soaked saffron liquid evenly across the top of the rice.
Add chicken or vegetable stock and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, stir. Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds.
Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let the rice cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep pot covered, and continue to let the rice sit and steam in the covered pot for 10 minutes longer.
Fluff the rice with a fork before serving, stirring well to break up the rice and incorporate the cooked onion.
Ingredients after the saffron "broth" is made, before cooking
cooking the onions
Rice with the saffron added to it
And the stock added
Final outcome
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