South African Curried Rice with Raisins Recipe
This aromatic South African curried rice with raisins, also known as geelrys, is a subtly sweet and savory dish made with long grain parboiled rice, curry powder, and cinnamon. A family favorite in Namibia and across Southern Africa, it can be served as a side dish, a main dish, or enjoyed plain.
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 180 g (6.3 oz/ about ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) long grain parboiled rice
- 415 ml (about 14 fl oz/ 1 ¾ cups) water , cold tap water
- 2 teaspoons curry powder (SEE NOTES)
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil (SEE NOTES)
- 1 cinnamon stick (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice until the water is fairly clear. Add all the ingredients to a pot, mix well, and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat without opening the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy.
Notes
- For this version, I used a cinnamon stick, but you can also use about one teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Feel free to increase or decrease the raisins to suit your taste, or to use butter or margarine instead of sunflower oil.
- I used mild curry powder, but you can definitely use a hot one if you prefer more spice.
- Here in Germany, I often swap the rice and spices based on what I have at home, since yellow rice with raisins is on regular rotation in our house.