Yellow rice with raisins

Yellow Rice with Raisins


1 cup (250ml) long grain rice
1 tsp (5ml) turmeric
Pinch salt
¼ cup (125ml) raisins or sultanas
2 cups (500ml) boiling water


Place all ingredients except sultanas into a heavy pot, cover, bring back up to the boil and then turn down heat as low as possible and leave for 25 minutes. stir in sultanas just before serving. Alternatively cook on low in microwave for 25 minutes in a covered microwave safe dish, or in a rice cooker.  stir in raisins just before serving.

sunflower rice variation:
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 red capsicum, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

saute onion, capsicum  and cumin seeds with the rice.  cook as above, then stir in peas, sulflower seeds and sultanas at the end.

Rice Pilaff

Rice Pilaff


1 Tbs (25ml) oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
 ½ cup (125ml) chopped celery
1 small can green chiles, chopped
½ cup (125ml) pine nuts
½ tsp (2ml) each cinnamon and ground cloves
1 tsp (5ml) each ground cumin, coriander and cardamom
2 cups (500ml) rice
4 cups water
Salt and pepper
½ (125ml) cup raisins

Heat oil in a large heavy pot, then sauté onion, garlic and celery until soft. Stir in spices and pine nuts, cook over high heat for about a minute, then add rice and stir to coat well with the oil and spices. Add water, bring to the boil and then cover, turn heat as low as possible and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. Stir in raisins and serve. You can also add shredded chicken or other meat to make this a meal in one dish.