Spicy Yellow Rice

I learned this in a class taught by Chef Nancy Stark at the Community Mercantile in Lawrence, KS. She learned it when working at the (now
defunct) West Side Cafe in Kansas City. It has Persian origins. It’s a great accompaniment for any kind of middle eastern-ish dish. Or
with sauteed vegetables, grilled meat, etc.

Spicy Yellow Rice

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati Rice
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoons turmeric
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 cardamom pods

1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
6 tablespoons butter, melted
⅔ cup water

Directions

Wash rice until water runs clear.

In heavy pot bring water, salt, turmeric, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns and cardamom pods to boil, then add rice as if you were boiling pasta.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice grains have just a tiny amount of bite left in the very core. (8 or 10 minutes maybe?)

Drain rice and rinse.

Mound rice back in the heavy pot, and stir in the cumin, coriander, butter and water. With lid on bring to a boil. As soon as it starts making
steam, turn it down to the lowest setting (use a flame tamer if you have one) and let it steam for about an hour or until it’s tender.

Note: the peppercorns can be too much when it comes time to eat, unless you like the little bursts of peppery flavor and crunchy texture. I
now use a tea ball to constrain them. You could also tie them up in cheese cloth.