South African Yellow Rice

South African yellow rice is the perfect dish to accompany bobotie. It is quick and easy to make, and adds the best flavor to your meal!

I made this rice dish as a side to our bobotie when I made it for Julian. It was the perfect addition to our meal! The flavors from the rice complemented the bobotie perfectly. Be sure to add some of the best South African chutney to your plate as well. It really makes the dish!

What is South African Yellow Rice?

Yellow rice is actually plain rice or white basmati rice that has a specific preparation. It is a staple recipe in Cape Malay cooking. The name yellow rice is a direct translation from the Afrikaans word "geelrys".

It gets its yellow color from the spices that are added to it while cooking. The yellow color comes from the addition of annatto, saffron, or turmeric depending on the recipe. Our recipe uses turmeric, which has many health benefits, including its anti inflammatory properties!

What do you need to make Yellow Rice?

While this rice dish is easy to make, there are a few key ingredients that you will need to make it.

• White basmati rice: this is kind of obvious - you need rice to be able to make this rice dish! The shape and cooking time of white basmati rice works the best for this recipe. Do not use a quick cook rice, because it will not give the other ingredients enough time to cook together.
• Butter: this adds a richness to the flavor of the rice and offsets some of the spices and other ingredients. Do not skip this ingredient!
• Sugar: I know it sounds odd to add sugar to your rice, but this is an important step. The sugar will bring out the flavors of the other spices we will add to our rice. This balance of sweet with the spices is what makes this rice so delicious!
• Spices: the three spices we will add to our rice are cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric. These spices are often found in African dishes and add so much flavor. The turmeric is also what gives this rice its beautiful color - and name!
• Sultanas: these are a common addition to rice in African and Middle Eastern cuisine. Sultanas are also called yellow raisins in North America. They are smaller than raisins and have a different flavor, so it is important not to substitute raisins in this dish.

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