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READY IN 30 mins

Simple Spiced Rice

Read Reviews (15)

"This is a savory side for many meats. This is a very simple version that would appeal to a wide range of palates." — kbarnett

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Original recipe makes 8 servings Change Servings

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups water

2 teaspoons salt
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1 large bay leaf

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Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the basmati rice and onion until the rice kernels are coated with butter and the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. The rice will give off a slightly toasted fragrance. Pour in water, and mix in salt, cinnamon sticks and bay leaf.
Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the saucepan, and simmer the rice until all the water has disappeared and the rice appears dry, about 18 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

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PREP 5 mins
COOK 25 mins
READY IN 30 mins

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I love making my rice with the herbs and seasoning in the cooking liquid. Your addition of cinnamon sticks and a bay leaf is a very clever 'addition' and I like it a lot. The 'cinnamon' stick is a bit more subtle than grated cinnamon and the bay leaf is gently aromatic. The basmati rice is such a flavorful rice to start with, that too much of anything would be overkill. This combo of sweet, pungent combined with the somewhat flowery basmati rice....just is a delightful merging. Lovely recipe and quite enticing to the palate!!!

—magie

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Mar 01, 2011

Simple Spiced Rice Haiku: "Subtle flavor kiss. Nice, delicate basmati. Humble, simple spice." Basmati is of such a light, ethereal taste that it doesn't need to compete with heavy seasonings. But this simple method of preparing it yielded an airy, buttery, lightly-spiced rice that would compliment just about any entree. We loved it!

—Rock_lobster

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22 Ratings

Mar 08, 2011

very simple, very delicious!

—MIMDAWN

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Mar 07, 2011

Thank you! This recipe was great! I wish I could say I made it exactly to recipe, but didn't have cinnamon sticks on hand, so I sprinkled in just a bit of the powdered variety. It was still great. Went great with my pork steaks with orange sauce.

—pkayemommy

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Apr 19, 2011

YUM! Very very good. It was fragrant and had a nice flavor. Not strong at all but a mild cinnamon taste. It went perfectly with some Indian style meatballs in an onion raisin sauce. This would be great with many different dishes as a side. It turned out very fluffy indeed. Perfect rice, thanks!!!!!!

—~TxCin~ILove2Ck

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Jul 24, 2011

Absolutely Fabulous Rice! I used Jasmine rice for its nutty flavor and chicken broth for the liquid instead of water. I also added red onion and a garlic & ginger paste.

—swiftkickstudios

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May 13, 2011

delicious! I also added a few cloves. Will definitely make again.

—SCHMURRY

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Sep 21, 2011

This was good but I did have to add some cayenne and ginger because I felt like the rice needed a little something else. I served with chicken tandoori and Greek taziki.

—LED87

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Nutrition

Calories
196 kcal
10%

Carbohydrates
38 g
12%

Cholesterol
8 mg
3%

Fat
3.5 g
5%

Fiber
0.7 g
3%

Protein
3.7 g
7%

Sodium
606 mg
24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Simple Spiced Rice

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 196
Calories from Fat: 31

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3.5g 5 %
Saturated Fat 2g 10 %
Cholesterol 8mg 3 %
** Sodium 606mg 24 %
** Potassium 17mg < 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 38g 12 %
Dietary Fiber 0.7g 3 %
Protein 3.7g 7 %
** Sugars 0.5g
Vitamin A 2 %
Vitamin C 1 %
Calcium 2 %
Iron 3 %
** Thiamin < 1 %
** Niacin < 1 %
** Vitamin B6 < 1 %
** Magnesium < 1 %
** Folate 1 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.