Garlic Turmeric Rice
Rice is one of my favorite side dishes. It’s easy, quick, and goes with just about anything. But sometimes I want something a little… more than just plain rice. And that’s when I make this Garlic Turmeric Rice. It doesn’t take much more effort but it brings an added layer of flavor and interest to whatever else I’m serving. Plus, its bright golden color is just plain pretty!
Why You’ll Love This recipe
It’s an easy way to add more turmeric to your diet. And if you know anything about turmeric, you know it has several health benefits.
It’s most well-known for its ability to help modulate inflammation. Rather than suppressing inflammation like NSAIDs do, it helps support the body’s ability to address and manage chronic inflammation without inhibiting acute inflammation, which is a very important immune system process.
It’s high in antioxidants, helping the body manage oxidative stress.
It supports liver health and function, thereby aiding in proper digestion and detoxification of the body. It can also be helpful in healing inflammatory digestive issues.
It also supports heart health, can help lower fasting insulin, improves memory, and can help keep the musculoskeletal system healthy
It’s the kind of side dish that goes well with just about anything and works with any kind of rice you have on hand, making it a perfect side dish for any meal.
It freezes well, so you can make a big batch and freeze the leftovers.
Garlic Turmeric Rice
This turmeric rice recipe is a delicious, simple side dish that highlights the nourishing benefits of turmeric and pairs well with just about anything.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2-3 tablespoons avocado oil
½ yellow onion, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tablespoon turmeric
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed well
1 ¾ cup chicken stock
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup finely minced parsley
Directions
Start by thoroughly rinsing the rice. Place a smallish fine mesh strainer in a medium bowl and place the rice in that. Cover the rice with water and use your hand to swirl the rice around until the water gets cloudy. Once it’s cloudy, lift the strainer out of the bowl and pour out the water. Repeat this step 2-3 times until the water is fairly clear after swirling it with the rice. Drain the rice well.
Heat the avocado oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and saute until it begins to soften and turn translucent—about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, turmeric, and black pepper and saute until fragrant—about 1 minute. (see note)
Add the drained rice and stock. Stir, making sure to scrape up any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-17 minutes. Check the rice after 15 minutes to see if it’s tender. If it’s not quite done and the water is gone, add a couple of tablespoons and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. If the rice is done but there’s still water, you can just drain that off.
Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the salt* and minced parsley before serving.
RECIPE NOTES:
*I always add salt after the rice cooks because I’ve found that adding salt to the cooking water makes it more likely that the rice will come out crunchy or underdone. I may be the only one that has this problem, though, since it looks like adding salt to the cooking liquid is the accepted best practice. So I’ll leave it to you to do what feels right.
You can substitute any kind of rice you prefer in place of the long grain white rice. Simply adjust cooking time accordingly.
NOTE: The information in this post is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
