Yellow Rice

Yellow Rice

First time I had this rice was years ago at an aunt’s (not biological but I call her aunt anyway) house.

Her chef made it with smoked chicken, it was unforgettable. I quickly asked the chef for the ingredients but the only thing I remember thereafter was tumeric and ginger. I forgot all about that rice until I saw it today on So You Think You Can Cook -my favourite Facebook food group-. I knew immediately I had to make it for dinner.

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Yellow but not so mellow

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Recipe
Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Rice
  • 2 tbsp Tumeric powder
  • 1 tbsp Curry powder
  • 3 medium sized fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • Salt

*Bouillon cubes ( not really necessary)
* Green peas and parsley leaves or whatever catches your fancy for garnish.

Procedure
– Peel ginger and garlic and blend to a paste.

– Place a pot with some water on heat, and add the paste, tumeric, olive oil, curry, salt, let it boil.

– Wash rice and pour into pot once water starts to boil.

– Cover and let cook till rice is done.

*Remember the trapping steam tip. You can place Moinmoin leaves or foil wrapper or a plastic bag on top of the rice and cover with the lid, the rice if the rice still seems hard. Turn the heat down and let it steam slowly to cook rice through.*

– Add green peas or garnish when the water on top of the rice has reduced and you can only see bubbles from the underneath the top surface. This is so as not to over cook the fresh peas.

This rice is packed with a lot of heat, it’s spicy, so I recommend a mild stew like a tomato sauce.

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Yellow Rice with Chicken in tomato sauce. (2015)
Yellow Rice with Fried Snails in Tomato sauce (2020)

13 thoughts on “Yellow Rice”

  1. Pingback: Drumsticks in Tomato Sauce – Ounje

    1. Tumeric is a root plant like ginger. It is called Red Ginger locally in Lagos markets or Ata Ile. It is aromatic, very mild spicy taste and yellowish orange on the inside. Tumeric is found in some of our spices, like Curry powder. You can find Tumeric powder seasoning in the spice aisle of Shoprite, Osata, Park n shop if you live in Lagos. Or find a store that caters to Indians.

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  6. Thanks for this recipe.
    I have an indirectly related question: I’ll like toknow if you’re able to grow herbs like parsley? I find that whenever I buy parsley, it withers in no time.

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    1. Hi Julia,
      Parsley is grown in Nigeria. Even though I’m not sure of the exact cultivation process. What I’m sure of however is methods you can use to preserve your parsley and herbs in general.

      1. Drying them out and grinding to powder. It makes as excellent seasoning
      2. Infusing in any plain vegetable or olive oil and leaving capped. Makes for a good salad dressing or drizzle. The leaves stay fresh and can be used when taken out of the oil.
      3. Refrigerating.
      4. Freezing.

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  9. Pingback: Cooking Rice – Ounje Aladun

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