Simple Saffron Rice

Simple Saffron Rice

Serves 4-6

In this simple recipe, saffron  transforms a plain rice pilaff into a vivid fascinating concoction, which can stand on its own, or accompany a large variety of other dishes, such as spiced lentils, rich vegetable stews, mushroom stroganoff, nut roast with gravy, to name a few.

Ingredients

A little vegetable broth

1 white onion, very finely chopped

2 generous pinches of saffron threads

500g long grain yellow rice

100ml dry white wine

1.5lt of vegetable stock

1tbsp nutritional yeast

1tsp of salt

1tbsp vegan butter (choose non-hydrogenated or homemade)

Method

Heat the vegetable broth in a medium deep pan. Add the onion with the saffron threads and sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and translucent, for about 10 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with the oil, butter, onion and saffron.

Increase the heat and add the wine. Let it be absorbed while you stir gently.

Add the stock, the nutritional yeast and the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer, stirring every now and then, until all the stock is fully absorbed. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the 1tbsp of butter, check the seasoning and serve.

Enjoy!

Notes

Saffron, is a special spice derived from the flower known as saffron crocus. Its initial origins are most likely from Iran, however Greece and Mesopotamia have also been considered as possible birth places. Its beautiful, vibrant crimson threads are collected by hand and dried, then used to season various different dishes. It has an intricate hey-like sweet aroma. It lends a vivid yellow colour, and was actually used as a fabric dye and in perfumery, mostly in China and India.

Saffron is also used for medicinal purposes. As a supplement, it is found to improve symptoms of various depressive disorders.