Seasoned Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice is a favorite of many Thai people though you can cook many side dishes using it. This seasoned jasmine rice is tender, fluffs up nicely, and full of flavor. I’ve added to easy recipes for Honey Ginger Glazed Carrots and a quick chicken recipe as well. Also included are two optional ingredients to make it less like rice pilaf and more like Thai Jasmine Rice. Enjoy!
Licorice-Flavored Spices
Fennel seeds are one of the spices that has somewhat of a black licorice flavor. Fresh fennel is like licorice-tasting celery. Fennel seeds are aromatic and sweet. Anise seeds are much stronger in black licorice flavor and aroma while caraway seeds are milder than even fennel. This recipe calls for ground fennel seeds. I use my coffee grinder to grind dry fennel seeds. Feel free to double the amount of ground fennel if you enjoy its flavor.
What is Coriander?
Coriander seeds come from the cilantro plant after they flower and go to seed. People seem to either hate or love cilantro but are indifferent to coriander. Once the flowers blossom, it reduces the flavor of the cilantro leaves and stems, some even say they are bitter. However, this milder flavor remains in the seeds, which as stated above, is what we call in America, coriander. In many other countries, the name is cilantro seeds and cilantro leaves.
Turmeric
When adding turmeric to recipes, everything turns yellow. So, if you want anything in this recipe to stand out such as the sautéed onion, toss it with the rice after it cooks. It looks a lot like fresh ginger root but is actually a stem that grows underground. Used in Indian and Thai dishes, turmeric is great for fighting inflammation. It’s been touted as having the ability to prevent cancer cells from forming as well as being heart-healthy. I even add a little to one of my elderly dogs’ meals.
Serve with…
Chicken: I serve this seasoned jasmine rice with chicken. To prepare the chicken, I fried bite-size pieces of chicken breast in oil for about 10 minutes. Once no longer pink inside, I seasoned it with ground cilantro and reduced-sodium tamari sauce (San-J brand). Optionally, you can add a tiny bit of red hot chili oil to the initial frying oil for some heat.
Carrots: I was in a hurry. So, I sliced the carrots thinly so they would cook faster. I used this recipe for Honey Ginger Glazed Carrots. You can also use boiled carrots, but that tends to boil out much of the nutrition. If you do boil your veggies, save the water for soups, gravies, and other dishes.
This recipe is available to everyone.
Seasoned Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sliced unsalted, almonds, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove grated, minced, or crushed
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 1-1/2 cups gluten-free low-sodium chicken stock Better Than Bouillon “Organic” Reduced-Sodium Chicken Base
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds or anise or caraway
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Salt
- Ground white pepper to taste (or black)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro or cilantro fronds/thin strands (optional)
Instructions
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If using almonds, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced almonds and roast, stirring frequently, until some are golden brown. Remove from skillet; set aside.
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Preheat a large skillet with olive oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
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While the onion cooks, rinse the rice and drain thoroughly. Add the rinsed rice, chicken broth, fennel, coriander, turmeric, salt, and pepper to a 1-1/2-quart saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the sautéed onion and garlic, stir, and bring to a boil.
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Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes or until the rice absorbs all of the liquid.
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Add half of the almonds and half of the cilantro, if using, and fluff with a fork and serve.