Yellow Rice What Is It?

[Elf]

Just curious, what is yellow rice? Rice with turmeric or saffron in it? I have seen it on the super market shelves, seen it in cook books , but never knew what it tastes like or it uses.

 

[expatgirl]

Well, Elf, I checked a few sites for you and it appears that the majority include turmeric for the yellowing and taste factor though in a few cases saffron was mentioned as well.......if it's on the supermarket shelves I'd read the ingredients..turmeric has been mentioned in many health-related articles recently as being beneficial...so who knows......I think that my taste buds would opt for inclusion in Asian recipes.......

 

[Yakuta]

Turmeric would give a brighter yellow color to rice than saffron so I would say it's rice made with turmeric. I know there is also annato that can give rice a yellow color. The flavor of turmeric (used mostly in savory dishes and is pungent and slightly bitter) is different than saffron (more floral) or annato.

Are you looking at a specific recipe or just inquiring in general.

 

[Elf]

Yakula, sorry I didn't respond sooner, I asked the question as general question, I was reading a recipe that called for it and I have seen it in other recipes and was just wondering what it was. Seems a lot of Southern cookbooks use it. Thanks for your info.

 

[licia]

My mother used it with chicken, or pork in many ways. I like it by itself or included in other dishes calling for rice. I think it is sometimes used in Cuban recipes also.

 

[zfranca]

I have a question. Is the rice yellow before cooking it?

 

[Andy M.]

I have a question. Is the rice yellow before cooking it?

No. You start with regular long grain white rice and cook it with onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric, chicken broth...

The saffron and turmeric make it yellow.

 

[Linux]

No. You start with regular long grain white rice and cook it with onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric, chicken broth...

The saffron and turmeric make it yellow.

Not wishing to be pedantic here, AndyM, but saffron's gorgeous fragrance is completely wasted if turmeric is used.

 

[Andy M.]

Not wishing to be pedantic here, AndyM, but saffron's gorgeous fragrance is completely wasted if turmeric is used.

I didn't create the dish, just answered the question.

 

[Linux]

lol

 

[zfranca]

I got curious because ELF said he saw yellow rice on supermarket shelves. How can cooked rice be on supermarket shelves?
ELF, are you still around to answer this question?

 

[Robo410]

rice can be made yellow with anato, turmeric, or saffron. saffron is the most expensive and gives the most flavor. It is the custom of many cuisines to color rice with spices and or vegetables (tomato broth for example) as well as to give it flavor. We Americans of a certain generation had rice and gravy with our roasted chicken on a Sunday. The gravy flavored the rice and also colored it.

 

[Andy M.]

This is probably what ELF was referring to:

 

[Kayelle]

Annatto powder is typically used in yellow rice, rather than either saffron, or turmeric.

 

[zfranca]

Thanks Andy M.
Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks Andy M.
Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?

I believe that brand comes with a spice packet, "Yellow Rice" is the name of the end product. HTH!

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks Andy M.
Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?

I've used this and other Goya mixes. They are pretty good.

The box contains rice and an envelope of flavorings that you add to the pot. The rice is white until you mix in the envelope.

 

[zfranca]

Thank you Andy M.
You nailed it just right. There is not such a thing as yellow rice. The rice becomes yellow with the cooking process. The name Goya and the Arroz Amarillo on the box suggest that it might come from Spain. In that case I suspect what turns the rice yellow would be saffron.

 

[Kayelle]

I'm sure that it's raw rice inside the Goya box of yellow rice, Franka, with flavors included.

 

[Andy M.]

Thank you Andy M.
You nailed it just right. There is not such a thing as yellow rice. The rice becomes yellow with the cooking process. The name Goya and the Arroz Amarillo on the box suggest that it might come from Spain. In that case I suspect what turns the rice yellow would be saffron.

Google, 'Spanish Yellow Rice' to see some recipes.