Ayurvedic Spiced Rice Recipe

By: Setareh Kiumarsi

What is so good about spiced rice?

Did you know that by draining the rice water you take away the excess mucus that rice produces and make it less heavy?! So steamed rice is suitable for people who are thin and want to gain weight!
And by adding balanced spices to the rice,( an Ayurvedic cooking tip) ignite your digestive fire and prevent the accumulation of mucus in your GI tract!
By the way, you can use any type of spice mixture for your rice….

Try to use three parts of heating spices (such as saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, oregano, cardamom, rosemary , etc.) with one part of cooling spices (such as rose, coriander, minet, sumac, etc.). You can also add fresh chopped vegetables (such as parsley, green onions, basil, spinach, tarragon, dill, oregano , etc) to this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Rice

2 Teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Teaspoons of Rose Water

Olive Oil as needed

Digestive Spice Mixture1:

Saffron, Turmeric, Coriander, Rock Salt

Digestive Spice Mixture2:

Saffron, Turmeric, Cumin, Rose, Rock Salt

Digestive Spice Mixture3:

Oregano, Rosemary, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Coriander, Rock Salt

And the recipe of our spiced rice:

At first, pour two cups of rice in a pot. Wash and rinse it 2-3 times.Then soak the rice in water with ½ tablespoon rock salt for an hour. After an hour, drain the rice and add boiling water to the pot (the water level should be ½ inch above the rice level). Simmer the rice for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile add one of the digestive spice mixtures, some olive oil, apple cider, vinegar and rose water to the boiling water.
The apple cider vinegar and the rose water will make each rice taller and will give an exotic fragrance to it; however, if you don’t add them, it will be fine.
After about five minutes check the rice; it should be half cooked (not too hard and not too tender). If you felt that the rice is almost tender, drain the rice and rinse it with cold water.

Now pour 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot and add your digestive spice mixture. Let the spices get heated for 1-2 minutes in the oil. In the next step, mix the rice with the oiled spices. If you felt that the rice is not well spiced add some more spice in between the layers of rice. Now wrap the lid with a towel and put it on the pot. Let the pot rest on the medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Your spiced rice is ready…. Enjoy!