Description

This is a golden rice dish dancing with the intoxicating flavors of saffron, tart cherries and drizzled with a sweet, dark, sticky cherry syrup.

• Recipe Source: Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen
• Serves: 4-6
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour, plus 2 hours for soaking rice (optional)

Ingredients

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 (24-ounce) jar sour cherries in syrup, drained and syrup reserved
• 1 cup sugar

Tools

• large pot
• small saucepan

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 2 hours. (This step is not totally necessary, but it does produce a more tender rice.)
2. Drain the rice. Fill a large pot with water and boil. Add the rice and boil on medium heat for 8 minutes. Drain the rice, rinse with cool water and drain again.
3. In the same pot over high heat, add half of the butter. When it’s hot, add half of the drained rice. Pour half of the saffron and its soaking water over the rice and stir. Add half of the drained cherries and the remaining rice.
4. Pour in the rest of the saffron and its soaking water. Add remaining butter and stir. Add the remaining drained cherries. Wrap the pot lid with a thin kitchen towel and cover the pot. Cook on high for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to super-low for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. While rice is cooking, cook reserved cherry syrup plus 1 cup sugar over medium heat for 30 minutes until it reduces down to a sweet, sticky consistency. Set aside.
6. When the rice is done, drizzle 1/2 cup of the syrup over the rice.

Lima Bean & Dill Rice

Instructions

1. Cook the rice using the method above.
2. Before adding the butter, mix in a generous amount of dried dill and up to two cans of lima beans.