Turmeric Rice with Almonds & Pomegranate
This colorful, savory and sweet vegan rice dish is a perfect accompaniment to your dinner table. Our Turmeric Rice with Almonds & Pomegranate is easy enough for everyday cooking and also special enough to go side by side with your most festive holiday dish.
Fresh & Dried Turmeric
You are probably familiar with the ground dry turmeric that you can buy wherever dried herbs and spices are sold and it is indeed what we use in this dish. But have you ever seen fresh turmeric? Take a gander below.
Robin grew us fresh turmeric in our low FODMAP garden this past summer and we are still reaping the benefits as I write this recipe in December. If you have a vegetable garden and haven’t thought about growing turmeric or ginger, we suggest you give it try.
It’s not a fussy plant and it’s very gratifying to harvest fresh root vegetables that can last through the winter and provide so much goodness and flavor. You can even grow it indoors and late winter is a perfect time to start (here in the U.S) – but pretty much anytime is good if you are going to grow it indoors.
Low FODMAP Rice
If you are lucky enough to have a store near you that sells grains in bulk we encourage you to go this route. That way you can buy just what you want. This recipe calls for basmati rice, which is a specialty rice, but thankfully is very easy to find.
Even if you have to go the pre-packaged route, you will most likely be able to find it at a local grocer. Or if you haven’t checked out the amazing prices through Thrive Market– be sure to do so.
Basmati rice is typically used in Indian and Indian inspired recipes and the way the grains retain their individual shape and texture works best in this recipe.
Rice varieties truly vary from one type to another and we encourage you to experiment. As rice is considered a Green Light grain, you’ve got some tasty eating ahead of you.
You can make this dish with water or vegetable broth, which infuses it with more flavor. If you want to use the broth, we recommend FODY Vegetable Base. Just reconstitute it according to the directions on the label to create 2 ¾ cups (650 ml).
Turmeric Rice with Almonds & Pomegranate
A beautiful, brightly colored and delicious vegan side dish - perfect alongside many dishes.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (450 g) basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons FODY Garlic-Infused Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup (16 g) finely chopped scallions, green parts only
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 3/4 cups (650 ml) water or reconstituted FODY Vegetable Base
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra
- 1 cup (173 g) pomegranate seeds (arils)
- 1/2 cup (43 g) sliced blanched almonds (see Tips)
- 1/4 cup (8 g) chopped flat leaf parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper (see Tips)
Preparation:
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Place the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and swish it around with your hands or a wooden spoon. The starch will release into the water and it will appear a bit cloudy. Drain and repeat with fresh water until the water remains clear. Drain rinsed rice in a colander. Shake dry, then pat dry with clean paper towels.
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and sauté for a minute or two until softened, but not browned. Add the rice and sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until the edges of the rice grains appear translucent. Stir in turmeric, cumin and ginger and cook, continuing to stir, for about 30 seconds.
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Add water or broth and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, then adjust the heat down and simmer on very low heat until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. When all of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, remove from heat and fluff it with a fork. Put cover back in place and allow rice to steam off of the burner for 5 minutes.
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Toss the rice with the pomegranate seeds, almonds and parsley right before serving. We like this dish hot, warm or at room temperature. Just do not refrigerate it. We find refrigerated rice never quite comes back to its original fabulous toothsomeness. I know that isn’t a word, but you know what I mean, don’t you?
Notes:
Tips
- We left the almonds raw for our image. If you would like to toast them in a 350°F/180°C oven just until they begin to take on some color, you can. You could also lightly sauté them in additional garlic-infused olive oil, if you like. Either way, just don’t over-brown them.
- The salt amount will vary whether you use water or vegetable broth. With the former you will need more salt; the broth has a salty component, so taste as you go and make adjustments. I also sometimes like to add a bit of freshly ground black pepper at the end when tasting the dish. Use your taste buds and create!
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Love your dedication to the FODMAP diet. Thanks for sharing
You are very welcome!