I absolutely love making this AMAZING rice with turmeric recipe for my family and guests alike. Every time we have it I get rave reviews about the perfect texture and incredible flavor. This turmeric rice is super easy to make with a cast iron skillet and a rice cooker. It also pairs nicely with many different meals, which I'll cover below. But first, let's take a look at who we have to thank for this idea in the first place.

Where do Turmeric come from?

Turmeric is a part of the ginger family and is native to Southern and Southeast Asia. India carries the majority of species, nearly 45, followed by Thailand having around 35 species of the plant.

It's original use was for dye which i'm sure you can understand if you've ever cooked with Turmeric before. People soon realized that it also carries many medicinal benefits. It soon became common place for turmeric to show up in Siddha and traditional Chinese medicines. At that point turmeric became a common ingredient in culinary dishes throughout the same region, and I'm glad it did! Otherwise, I wouldn't be sharing this Amazing Rice with Turmeric recipe, now would I?

What is Turmeric For?

Turmeric was originally used as a dye for the robes of priests and monks. However, today it's a very popular ingredient in many different recipes.

It seems as though the jury is still out on the true effectiveness of its medicinal properties.

During my research I did find that it has some 'proven' health benefits. Its main medicinal property curcumin is said to help as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. In addition, turmeric is said to improve brain function, lower the risk of heart disease, prevent cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.

Now, I know all of that sounds amazing! However, there's a caveat here. So before you begin your life saving mission by seasoning everything with Turmeric, there's one important thing to understand.

Most of the studies show the dosage necessary to reap these benefits exceeds 1 gram a day of turmeric extract.

So let's put this into culinary terms. Studies have shown anywhere from 500 - 2000 mg of Turmeric a day might provide the benefits listed above. Theres approximately 15 milligrams in one tablespoon.

So you would ONLY need to consume 33 Tbsp. everyday to start reaping the medicinal rewards of the golden spice!

I love the color, flavor, and versatility...but not THAT much!

What to Serve with Turmeric Rice?

I serve this rice with turmeric recipe with many different kinds of dishes. However, most commonly I pair it with Mediterranean kebabs, shrimp, and different types of salads.

Check out these recipes for Mediterranean Salmon Skewers and this Easy One Pan Mediterranean Chicken. Pair either one with this Turmeric Rice for an amazing dinner your entire family is sure to enjoy!

How to Make Rice with Turmeric.

ALRIGHT! Now we know where turmeric came from, we can dye our clothes, and if we eat more of it than we could ever stand, we'll be healthy as a horse!

But you just wanna put it your rice right?

LETS DO IT!

Rinse the Rice

First thing you want to do is rinse your rice. I use Basmati rice for this recipe and run the grains under cold water in a mesh strainer. By doing so you wash out much of the starch that causes rice to be sticky and mushy. That's not what we're looking for here.

Sauté the Onion

Now, I start out with a 12" Cast Iron Skillet then move the rice over to a rice cooker to finish off the cook.

Allow me to explain.

First you want to start by heating a cast Iron skillet over low heat with butter and coconut oil. As thats heating up add finely diced onion to the oil and butter mixture cooking just until the onions are turning translucent.

Next, add fresh ground ginger and minced garlic to the onions, sautéing for just a minute or so.

Once the garlic and ginger become aromatic stir in the salt, pepper, and turmeric making sure that the onions are completely covered almost like a paste has formed.

Fry the Turmeric Rice

At this point you want to turn the heat up to medium-High or High depending on the burner size you're using and add the uncooked, rinsed, and drained Basmati rice. Stir the rice into the cooked onion mixture and fry it for about 2-3 minutes. It will start to sizzle, pop, and some will even brown a little. Thats all perfect and exactly what you want to happen. It may stick a little bit but thats okay as well, just scrape it off using a spatula.

Cook the Rice

Now that the rice is all fried up and the flavors have incorporated add the rice and chicken stock to the rice cooker, set it to the 'white rice' setting, top with a couple bay leaves, and let it work its magic.

EASY AS THAT!

Fluff it up and serve it hot! Even the kids are gonna love this! Well not my nephew, he didn't like it because it was rice... yellow... I don't know? You can't please everyone!

In Conclusion

This Turmeric Rice Recipe is delicious and super easy to make. It's a massive hit with my family and friends and pairs perfectly with Mediterranean, Greek, Indian, and Asian dishes alike. Give it a shot and let us know what you thought in the comments.

If i've missed any important aspects of its origins please don't hesitate to fill us in on that as well. I think its extremely important to know the heritage and origins of the dishes we cook here in the melting pot of the world. If you'd like any more information about the history I did a lot of research and theres a ton of info out there.

Click here for the Turmeric Wikipedia Page.

Also, if you love rice dishes check out this recipe for Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Coconut Rice. One of my absolute favorites during the spring and summer months.

Thank you for reading and as usual,

Happy Cooking...Enjoy!

-Jeremy