Here, I am going to share my mom’s recipe. This was our favorite rice growing up and is still is. It’s nothing fancy and is also reasonably easy to make. One thing I love about this recipe is that it requires very few ingredients.
What Ingredients are Needed for Saffron Rice?
Rice- Long-grain basmati rice is perfect for this rice. Do not use any other rice for this recipe because the beauty of this rice lies in the separated grains. Ghee- I prefer to use a traditional method that uses Ghee. The use of ghee / clarified butter gives this rice a wonderful aroma. For a vegan alternative, use any oil, such as avocado oil or olive oil. I would suggest that you don’t use coconut oil. It has a fragrance that doesn’t do justice to this fragrant rice. Avocado oil or grapefruit oil is perfect for this recipe. Cashews and Raisins- I love to use a handful of them, but if you do not want to use cashew nuts, use Almonds. Saffron- Use any good quality saffron for making this rice. Good quality saffron gives this rice a lovely yellow color and a wonderful fragrance.
What Can We Serve with Saffron Rice?
Traditionally, it is served with several accompaniments. Mostly, it is served with a beautiful platter. A few of the dishes are curries, dal, raita, and papad. You can have them as it is, but they will taste great when served with these things. We used to have this rice with Bengali Cholar/Chana Dal/Split Chickpea Lentil, which tasted divine.
How to Make Saffron Rice?
Firstly, wash and soak the basmati rice. 30 minutes of soaking is really important to make this rice fluffier. Then, we must roast this rice with ghee, nuts, and whole spices. Roasting gives this rice an excellent, nutty taste. The water to rice ratio is almost double, and then add the soaked saffron to it. The cooking is done covered for around 13-14 minutes. However, do not remove the lid for another 15 minutes. It’s easy.
You Can Also Check these Recipes to Serve with Saffron Rice-
- Instant Pot Dal Makhani (Healthy Version of Traditional Dal Makhani)
- Paneer Butter Masala
- Bengali Cholar/Chana Dal/Split Chickpea Lentil
- Dhaba style Kadhai Paneer
