Saffron Rice
Servings: 4 people
- 1½ cups (300 grams) basmati rice
- 1/16 teaspoon (1/16 teaspoon) saffron powder or 10 saffron strands
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- 1 small (1 small) onion
- 2 cups (500 grams) vegetable broth
- 1 (1) bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt
- 4 wedges (4 wedges) lemon or lime for serving
- Start by soaking 1/16 teaspoon saffron powder or 10 saffron strands in a small bowl with ¼ cup hot water. Set aside.Chop 1 small onion very finely.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until soft and shiny but not browned.Add 1½ cups basmati rice and toast it for 1 minute with the onion while stirring.
- Pour in the saffron and its soaking liquid, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt.Stir well, bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes.Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Discard bay leaves, fluff up with a fork, and enjoy. It’s delicious with a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
TIPS
- If using saffron threads, there is no need to grind them. You can soak them and use them whole.
- Rinsing the rice is unnecessary because supermarket rice is already clean, and basmati rice doesn’t contain enough starch to make the rice sticky.
- Toasting the rice increases its aroma. It also firms up the external starch so the grains keep their shape.
- Adjust salt depending on the sapidity of your vegetable broth. If your broth is salted, you’ll need less salt in the rice.
- Saffron: both powder and threads work well.
- Olive oil: substitute butter.
- Onion: substitute shallot.
- Vegetable broth: substitute water and add 1/2 teaspoon more salt.
- Bay leaves: optional.
