Halal Cart-Style Yellow Rice (Stovetop or Rice Cooker)
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This is originally from THIS Instagram Reel.
Ingredients: 2 portions
1/2 cup long-grain rice. I used batsmati
3/4 cup water
1/8 tsp ground turmeric. You can eyeball this; I usually do a few shakes.
1 tbsp butter, cold. Doesn’t need to soften or melt.
salt or MSG. I usually do 2 pinches for cooking, then finish with extra as needed
Directions: Rice Cooker
Clean rice.
Add rice, water, ground turmeric, and 1-2 pinches of salt to the rice cooker.
Stir with a non-staining tool to incorporate. DON’T USE THE RICE COOKER PADDLE, IT WILL STAIN! I use a chopstick or my finger.
Cook on “long grain” setting. On my machine, it takes 56 minutes.
Once it finishes, add 1 tbsp of butter. Use your same non-staining tool to fluff the rice and melt the butter in.
At this point, taste for seasoning. Add additional salt as needed. If it doesn’t taste right, it needs more butter OR salt or both. Stir, taste, adjust.
Directions: Stovetop
Add rice to 1 qt saucepan. Clean rice in saucepan.
Add clean water, ground turmeric, and 1-2 pinches of salt into the saucepan.
Stir with a non-staining tool to incorporate. DON’T USE THE RICE COOKER PADDLE, IT WILL STAIN! I use a chopstick or my finger.
Cook on medium heat until the water boils. Stir, then immediately cover and change the heat from medium to the lowest setting.
Let rice cook, covered and undisturbed, for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, uncover, taste a few grains for doneness. If it’s still undercooked, cook the rice covered for an additional 5-minute increments until it reaches your desired doneness.
Once it finishes, keep the heat on your lowest setting, add 1 tbsp of butter use your same non-staining tool to fluff the rice and melt the butter in.
At this point, taste for seasoning. Add additional salt as needed. If it doesn’t taste right, it needs more butter OR salt or both. Stir, taste, adjust.
Leave covered on the stovetop with the flame off until ready to serve. The residual steam will keep the rice warm.
FAQ:
Q: I made my rice too salty. What can I do?
Add a pinch of tomato paste straight into your pot of hot rice, stir to combine. If you don’t have open tomato paste, add a dash of vinegar and salt. If it’s still too salty, take this as a teachable moment and pair your salty rice with some steamed vegetables!
