Need a side dish that complements just about any meal? This South Africa's sultana yellow rice gets its vibrant yellow color from turmeric and curry and its sweet note from sultanas.
South Africa's rice dish with turmeric and curry has a fragrant, wonderful aroma and is a great accompaniment to just about any meal.
Yellow rice is a great side for chicken as well. A firework of delicious flavors!
Sultana yellow rice is traditionally served with bobotie, but it's also the perfect side for a holiday meal.
📃 Why it Works
It has a fragrant, wonderful aroma that is not overpowering and makes a great accompaniment to any meat or beans dish.
When dried, sultanas (mainly produced in Turkey) are golden in color and tend to be much plumper, sweeter, and juicier than other raisins. Sultana is a seedless white grape variety.
I've been a fan of turmeric and curry for years. Turmeric is a powerful spice with a large list of uses and benefits.
It is best known for its antioxidant, but studies show it may help fight infections, reduce inflammation, and treat digestive problems.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Rice - Best to use fragrant rice such as Basmati or Jasmine
- Butter - Nothing beats real butter, but you can use vegan butter or oil if you prefer
- Sultanas - Golden raisins
- Turmeric
- Curry
- Brown sugar
- Vegetable broth - For even better flavor, use chicken broth
- salt and pepper - to taste
If you're new to sultanas, now you have a yummy reason to purchase them. They are truly the golden ingredient in this rice recipe. My family loves it and I'm certain, you will too. 🙂
🔪 Instructions
- Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to turn opaque.
- Add sultanas, turmeric, curry, and sugar and stir until well mixed in.
- Slowly stir in chicken broth and raise heat to medium-high. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- Try adding turmeric to vegetables before roasting or sautéeing. A little goes a long way and if you think you won't use up a whole package anytime soon, consider buying it in bulk.
- Substitute sultanas with raisins, which are less sweet.
- You can omit the brown sugar if you wish.
- Health stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Thyme offer spices you can buy by spoons, jars, or whatever amount you need. It's also useful for making your own spice blends.
- Nigerian Jollof Rice
- Bosnian One-Pot Chicken & Rice
- Kurdish Rice Pilaf
- Djuvec Rice
- Colombian Pork Risotto
Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Sultana Yellow Rice
EQUIPMENT
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed & drained
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- ¼ cup sultanas
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon curry
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to turn opaque.
- Add sultanas, turmeric, curry, and sugar and stir until well mixed in.
- Slowly stir in vegetable broth and raise heat to medium-high. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
Notes
- Substitute sultanas with raisins, which are less sweet.
- You can omit the brown sugar if you wish.
acraftymix says
And how on earth did I miss this one my friend???????? I must have been sleeping under some African bush somewhere 😀 Another perfectly yummy South African dish that has me drooling all over my laptop and thinking of days spent on my Ouma's farm. She would always use Tastic rice to make her yellow rice and I've never tried it with basmati. My hubby is not a big fan of Tastic, he says it's a boring rice. What does he know, he's half Irish 😀 I'll definitely give your version a try
Jas says
Haha, I'm picturing you under some bush (I'm a very visual person). I've never heard of Tastic rice, now have to look that one up. Men, in general, don't have a clue. JK 😉
Kimberly says
Thanks for the recipe. It looks yummy and healthy. I'll must try this one.
Jas says
Thanks, Kimberly! 🙂
sheri says
there is a yellow rice from
south Carolina I think you would really enjoy
Jas says
Where can I find the recipe, Sheri? 🙂
Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
This rice looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing at Friday Frenzy! Pinned!
Jas says
Thank you.
Petra says
It looks delicious and so perfectly fluffy! 🙂
Jas says
Thanks, Petra! Fluffy describes it well 🙂
Miz Helen says
Your Sultana Yellow Rice with Turmeric Curry looks delicious I am pinning this one! Have a great first week of spring and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with FULL PLATE THURSDAY!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Thank you, Miz Helen!
Teresa says
I love turmeric and curry so this rice sounds right up my alley. Like you though, I'm not too sure about the raisins, but I'll trust you and give them a try! Thank you for sharing on Party in Your PJ's. Pinned!
Jas says
you can omit raisins, Teresa, but I highly recommend them. 🙂
laura says
Mmmmm I pinned this! I love using Sultanas in cooking.
Jas says
They add just a perfect amount of sweetness. Thanks for pinning!
Life Diet Health says
Jas what a colourful dish of rice - and that dish is gorgeous too! We love the Turkish sultanas and I think this rice would also work well with Turkish black currants (they plump up lovely too). Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday (I think I missed your links?)
Jas says
I have yet to try the black currants. Putting in on my shopping list now. Thank you, Laurena!
Donna Reidland says
This looks so good. I love flavored rice.
Jas says
Thank you, Donna!
Jenny says
We love rice at our house and this looks delicious. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Jas says
Thank you, Jenny. 🙂
Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook says
This looks so pretty, Jas. I am sure it tastes delicious!! Thanks for sharing! x
Jas says
It does, but don't take my word for it, lol. 😉
Hilda says
I have all the ingredients except the sultana. I have raisins to substitute so I will try this soon!
Jas says
Great, Hilda! Raisins work too. 🙂
Clare @Budget Mums says
Yum! That looks so good. It reminds me a little bit of a rice salad my Nan used to make 🙂
Jas says
Thank you, Clare!