South African classic, this yellow rice aka Geelrys with a sweet spicy taste is so good and easy to make! Made with white rice and raisins and spiced with cinnamon and turmeric. Tastes great with tomato sauce, chicken curry, bobotie or beef stew.
This traditional South African yellow rice also known as Geelrys is very popular in Namibia. You’ll find it almost everywhere across the country. The rice is very easy to make, looks and tastes great and uses a handful of ingredients.
Yellow rice can be cooked with any type of white rice. I personally prefer making it with jasmine or basmati rice. The classic recipe uses butter that is added towards the end of cooking process. I prefer using sunflower oil and combining all the ingredients at the beginning.
What you’ll need to make South African yellow rice with raisins
- 200 g (7.1 oz/ about 1 cup) jasmine rice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- a handful raisins
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 350 ml (12 fl oz/ 1 ½ cups) water, cold tap water
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
How to make yellow rice: Step by step photo recipe
Begin by cleaning rice. Simply put rice in a bowl and add cold running water. Stir the rice around with your hands and drain. Repeat the process for two to three times.
In a small pot, add water, drained rice, cinnamon, turmeric, raisins, sugar, salt and sunflower oil and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water starts to boil, without removing or lifting up the lid, reduce the heat to medium low and let cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
Use a fork and fluff the rice. Enjoy!
What to serve your yellow rice with:
South African yellow rice
Equipment
- Bowl
- Small pot
- Spoon or fork
Ingredients
- 200 g (7.1 oz/ about 1 cup) jasmine rice
- 350 ml (12 fl oz/ 1 ½ cups) water
- a handful raisins
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
Instructions
- Begin by cleaning rice. Simply put rice in a bowl and add cold running water. Stir the rice around with your hands and drain. Repeat the process for two to three times. In a small pot, add water, drained rice, cinnamon, turmeric, raisins, sugar, salt and sunflower oil and stir well. Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water starts to boil, without removing or lifting up the lid, reduce the heat to medium low and let cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Use a fork and fluff the rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- It's very important that you only stir the rice at the beginning and don't lift up the lid during the cooking process.
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