Aromatic, pretty and utterly delicious, this Saffron Basmati Rice Recipe with Fresh Dill is a fantastic compliment to almost anything . . . meats, fish, vegetables, you name it! And it will brighten the table with its stunning, vibrant color.
Saffron.
It’s red, it’s gold, it’s oh so beautiful.
It’s profoundly delicious.
What is Saffron?
- It’s the most expensive spice in the world. In the world! And for very good reasons.
- Saffron threads are the stamens of the Crocus flower, which is native to the Mediterranean and western Asia. (The stamen is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower.)
- The Crocus flower is a very high-maintenance flower that only blooms for one week of the year and only produces about three stamens each.
- The stamens must be very carefully hand picked, and it takes about 80,000 flowers to produce 1-pound of saffron!
- When the stunning red threads are hit with liquid, they immediately turn a deep, rich golden color.
- The intense gold color, is said to be an indication that the saffron has medicinal qualities, like powerful antioxidants that can protect the body.
What Does Saffron Taste Like?
- The flavor of saffron can be described as floral, buttery and earthy.
- A little will go a long way to color and flavor a dish its added to.
Remember when we made Spicy Turmeric-Coconut Rice? The color of the turmeric is similar to that of the saffron — though the flavor is quite different. Try them both for fun.
What to serve with Saffron Basmati Rice:
- Saffron Orange Whitefish with Tomato Basil Salsa
- Skillet Sweet Potato Braised Chicken
- Garlicky Coconut Gai Lan
- Light Spring and Summer Fish Stew
- Baked Mango Coconut Chicken
Here is the saffron I’ve been using — it’s from Spain. And here’s a great article on the colorful History of Saffron.
I hop you enjoy this oh-so-beautiful and delicious Saffron Basmati Rice recipe!
Aromatic, pretty and utterly delicious, this Saffron Basmati Rice Recipe with Fresh Dill is a fantastic compliment to almost anything . . . meats, fish, vegetables, you name it!
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, washed and dried, roughly chopped
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Add the pinch of saffron threads to a mortar. Use the pestle to grind the spice until it's a powder. This should only take a few seconds, and will yield less than 1/8 teaspoon, which is all you need.
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Add about 2 tablespoons of the water to the mortar and then pour this, along with the remaining water into a medium-sized soup pot. Bring it to a very gentle simmer and then turn off the heat. Let it steep for at least 15 minutes.
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Now pour the rice into a fine mesh strainer and rinse it thoroughly, and then add it to the pot, along with the salt and olive oil.
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Gently stir and then bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook just until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
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Fold in the dill and serve.
Such beautiful color – and flavor! This will go beautifully with my Persian-spiced fish (NYTimes)!
Thanks, David. I hadn’t worked with saffron in a while and now I can’t stop! More to come. Enjoy & happy weekend. 🙂
Saffron is such a beautiful spice!! This Basmati rice looks phenomenal – the color looks incredible! 🙂
Thank you! I agree – a beautiful spice, indeed. 🙂
I love these flavors together and Basmati rice is my favorite rice varieties, thank you for sharing this delicious way to make rice that I haven’t tried before.
Thank you so much, Sara. I hope you try it and enjoy! 🙂
I adore saffron! It has the most unique flavor! Now I think I have some for dinner!
I love it, Beth. Thanks!
One of the most elegant and exotic rice dishes I’ve seen. The saffron is a beautiful touch and I love the fresh dill. This is wonderful. xo, Catherine
Many thanks, Catherine! 🙂
Basmati rice with saffron is the most wonderful combination and considered as the elegant dish and a big thanks to valentina for posting the recipe.I know a agro products supplier company shimla hills who is one of largest supplier of basmati rice in india and the quality they maintain in there products is remarkable.