Flavoured with turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom, this Easy Indian-style Yellow Rice is a super quick ‘cheats’ version of a classic pilau rice. It takes less than 15 minutes to make, and needs no special equipment – meaning you can have this delicious ‘fakeaway’ pilau rice any time you fancy!
A super quick ‘cheats’ version of a classic pilau rice
Love pilau rice, but don’t have a lot of time? This Easy Indian-style Yellow Rice is for you! (It’s an even speedier version of my incredibly popular Easy Peasy Pilau Rice recipe.)
This ‘cheats’ version of pilau rice takes just 15 minutes and tastes just like pilau rice, but is almost as easy to make as plain basmati rice.
Indian Style Yellow Rice with Beef Mince Curry
How to make Indian-style Yellow Rice
This recipe could not be easier! All you need to do is place the basmati rice, spices, salt and boiling water in a saucepan. Bring back to the boil, then cover with a lid and turn the heat right down. Cook until all the water is absorbed and serve. Easy Peasy!
(Full recipe given in the recipe card below.)
What is the best kind of rice for Indian-style Yellow Rice?
The best kind of rice for Indian-style Yellow Rice is basmati rice.
If you don’t have basmati rice, you can make Indian-style Yellow Rice with regular long grain rice. It will still taste nice, but it won’t be quite as good as basmati rice.
What spices do you use in Indian-style Yellow Rice?
Recipes for pilau rice vary, but typically they include turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. They sometimes also include mace, star anise, bay leaves, coriander and cumin.
To keep this Easy Indian-style Yellow Rice recipe as simple as possible, I’ve paired these spices back to just the 4 most essential: turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Just using these 4 spices you can get a flavour that is very close to a classic pilau rice flavour.
What gives Indian-style rice the yellow colour?
It’s turmeric which gives Indian-style rice the yellow colour!
I recommend using 1 teaspoon turmeric per 300g rice to give a good colour and flavour to this easy Indian style rice dish.
What to serve with Indian-style Yellow Rice
Serve this deliciously easy Indian-style Yellow Rice with your favourite homemade curries. For example:
- Easy Beef Mince Curry (Keema Curry)
- Easy Peasy Lamb Curry
- Easy Prawn Tikka Masala
- Easy Chicken Dhansak
- Easy Chicken, Red Lentil and Coconut Curry
Indian Style Yellow Rice with Beef Mince Curry
Can you reheat leftover yellow rice?
Yes, but take care to follow food safety guidelines when it comes to storing and reheating cooked rice.
Put any leftover rice in a lidded container and place in the fridge where it will keep for 1 day. Reheat it until it is piping hot, before eating immediately.
Can you freeze yellow rice?
Yes you can. Put any leftover rice in a lidded container and place in the freezer within 1 hour of cooking, where it will keep for 1 month. Defrost your rice overnight in the fridge and reheat it until it is piping hot, before eating immediately.
Please take care to follow food safety guidelines when it comes to freezing, defrosting and reheating cooked rice.
Indian Style Yellow Rice with Beef Mince Curry
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Easy Indian-style Yellow Rice (Turmeric Rice)
Ingredients
- 300 g basmati rice (I use Tilda)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cardamom pods gently bashed to open (I use the bottom of a knife handle)
- 2 cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 600 ml boiling water
Instructions
- Place the basmati rice in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add the turmeric, cinnamon, bashed cardamom pods, cloves, and salt.
- Pour in the boiling water, turn the heat on high and bring back to the boil.
- Then cover with a lid and turn the heat right down. Continue cooking for 10 minutes or until cooked to your liking. (If all the water gets absorbed BEFORE the rice is cooked to your liking, add a splash more water and continue cooking.)
- Serve with your favourite curry or why not try this with my Easy Beef Mince Curry?
Notes
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
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Geraldine says
Hi Eb. Do you think this would work as well with brown rice?
TIA. Geraldine
Eb Gargano says
I’ve never tried it with brown rice, but I can’t think of a good reason why it wouldn’t work! You might have to adjust the cook times slightly, depending on which brand you use – double check pack instructions – and maybe add a little extra water if it gets too dry before the rice is cooked. But otherwise you can just follow the recipe as written. Let us know how you get on, if you try it!
Geraldine says
Hello Eb. Many thanks for your reply.
Geraldine
Thom says
Should we remove the cloves after cooking? Cardamom? (Easy Indian rice)
Eb Gargano says
Entirely up to you! I never do – but I obviously tell my family/guests to look out for them. But if you prefer, you can hunt through the rice and remove them first before serving.