Golden turmeric rice

Turmeric rice is the easiest way to make plain rice look like you tried. Bright yellow, a little garlicky, lightly spiced, and great next to curry, grilled chicken, fish, roasted vegetables or a simple bowl of dal.

The two mistakes almost everyone makes at first: using way too much turmeric, which makes the rice bitter, and stirring the powder straight into the water, which makes it taste chalky. Fry the turmeric in a little oil first and keep it to about half a teaspoon per cup of rice. Below the recipe there's a rice cooker and Instant Pot method, variations, what to serve it with, and how to store and reheat rice safely.

Which rice is best for turmeric rice?

• Basmati is our favourite. Long, separate grains and a lovely fragrance.
• Jasmine works too; it's a little softer and stickier.
• Any long-grain white rice is fine. Use the same method.
• Brown rice works, but needs about 2 1/4 cups of liquid per cup and around 40 to 45 minutes.
• Avoid short-grain or risotto rice here; it turns sticky.

Ingredient notes

• Water or stock: stock (chicken or vegetable) gives much more flavour. If it's salty, cut the added salt.
• Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon per cup of rice gives good colour and a gentle flavour. Go up to 1 teaspoon at most.
• Fat: butter is richest, ghee is the most traditional, olive oil keeps it dairy-free.
• Aromatics: garlic or onion, plus a bay leaf or cumin seeds, do most of the flavour work. Turmeric on its own is mostly colour and earthiness.

Golden turmeric rice

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Bright, fluffy yellow rice in 25 minutes, and how much turmeric to use so it isn't bitter.

Prep

5 min

Cook

25 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Ingredients

• 1 cup (190 g) basmati or other long-grain white rice
• 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) water or low-sodium stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil, butter or ghee
• 1 small garlic clove, minced (or a quarter of a small onion, chopped)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (up to 1 tsp if you like it stronger)
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt (less if your stock is salty)
• A pinch of black pepper
• 1 bay leaf or 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
• 1/2 cup (70 g) frozen peas, lemon zest or chopped herbs to finish (optional)

Method

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain well.
2. Heat the oil or butter in a heavy pot with a tight lid over medium heat. Add the garlic or onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until soft.
3. Add the turmeric (and cumin seeds, if using) and stir for about 30 seconds. This cooks out the raw taste.
4. Add the rice and stir for a minute or two so every grain gets coated and yellow.
5. Pour in the water or stock, add the salt, pepper and bay leaf, and bring to a boil.
6. Cover, turn the heat down as low as it goes, and cook for 15 minutes. Don't lift the lid.
7. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in peas or herbs if using, and serve.

Firmer or softer rice: use 1 1/2 cups liquid for firm grains, 2 cups for softer. If your lid leaks steam, put a sheet of foil under it.

Approx. per serving (1 of 4): about 205 calories, 38 g carbs, 3 g protein, made with water and olive oil. Worked out from USDA values.

Recipe from turmaslim.com/recipes/turmeric-rice.html

Rice cooker and Instant Pot

• Rice cooker: fry the garlic and turmeric in the oil in a small pan for a minute, then tip it into the rice cooker with the rinsed rice, liquid and salt. Cook on the normal white rice setting.
• Instant Pot: use Sauté to cook the garlic, turmeric and rice in the oil. Add 1 1/4 cups liquid per cup of rice (less than the stovetop, as there's no evaporation), cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

Tips for fluffy turmeric rice

• Rinse the rice. It washes off surface starch, so the grains stay separate instead of gluey.
• Don't lift the lid while it simmers. You lose the steam that cooks the top layer.
• Let it rest. Those 5 to 10 minutes off the heat finish the cooking and firm up the grains.
• Bitter rice? Too much turmeric. A popular Reddit r/Cooking thread put the limit at about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per half cup of raw rice, and less is often better.
• Use a stainless steel or enamel pot, and expect your wooden spoon to turn yellow.

Variations

• Turmeric rice with peas: stir in frozen peas for the last 5 minutes of resting. They warm through perfectly.
• Lemon turmeric rice: add the zest of a lemon and a squeeze of juice when you fluff it, plus chopped coriander or parsley.
• Coconut turmeric rice: swap half the water for light coconut milk. Rich and great with curries.
• Indian-style: fry cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick, 2 cloves and 2 cardamom pods in ghee before adding the rice.
• Mexican-style yellow rice: add a little tomato paste, cumin and a pinch of chilli with the turmeric.

What to serve with turmeric rice

Pretty much anything with a sauce: chicken or chickpea curry, everyday dal, grilled fish or chicken, kebabs, turmeric roasted cauliflower, or a big salad. Leftovers make great fried rice or a quick lunch bowl with beans and greens.

Is turmeric rice healthy?

It's basically plain rice with a little oil and spice, so it's a normal, everyday side. The half teaspoon of turmeric adds colour and flavour but only a tiny amount of curcumin. For a more filling, higher-fibre plate, serve it with beans, dal or plenty of vegetables, or use brown rice. Curious what turmeric actually does? Read our turmeric guide.

Turmeric rice for meal prep

Turmeric rice works well for meal prep, but cooked rice needs a bit of care. Make a double batch, spread it on a tray to cool fast, then portion it into containers. Keep what you'll eat tomorrow in the fridge and freeze the rest straight away. Frozen portions thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen in the microwave. Pair it with roasted chickpeas and greens, grilled chicken and cucumber salad, or leftover dal.

Storage and reheating

Cool leftover rice quickly (within about an hour), cover it and put it in the fridge. The NHS advises eating cooked rice within 1 day and reheating it only once, until steaming hot all the way through. For longer, freeze it: spread it flat in a freezer bag and it keeps for up to 2 months.

Questions about this recipe

How much turmeric do I put in rice?

About 1/2 teaspoon per cup of uncooked rice. Go up to 1 teaspoon at most; more than that tastes bitter.

Why is my turmeric rice bitter?

Usually too much turmeric, or adding it raw to the water. Use about 1/2 teaspoon per cup and fry it in oil for 30 seconds first.

Can I make turmeric rice in a rice cooker?

Yes. Fry the garlic and turmeric in the oil in a small pan first, then add it to the rice cooker with the rice, liquid and salt and cook as normal.

Can I use brown rice?

Yes, but brown rice needs more liquid (about 2 1/4 cups per cup) and around 40 to 45 minutes of cooking.

Can I freeze turmeric rice?

Yes. Cool it quickly, freeze it flat in a bag for up to 2 months, and reheat until steaming hot.

General information only, not medical advice.