Malay Yellow Rice

  Colored yellow by turmeric powder, nasi kuning (malay yellow rice)  is a delicately flavored rice often served at Malay festivals. Its simple recipe which uses coconut milk instead of water and is flavored with turmeric and garlic..

    It is a good variation from regular steam white rice which can be served as a side dish for oriental gravies and stirfries... This dish includes cooking the rice using absorption method. I usually prefer to cook rice in microwave whenever I am cooking Basmati rice. The grains are always cooked to perfection, with all the grains on the top layer standing up to salute you, once you open the microwave door. Also, I never have to worry about the rice burning at the bottom layer.
 Try this easy flavored yellow rice.....

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable/ sesame oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp ground turmeric powder
• 1 cup long grained rice (basmati)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper (to taste)

Method:

• Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 min.
• Heat the oil in frying pan and add turmeric, garlic and onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• As the onion starts turning transparent, add soaked and drained rice to the pan.
• Saute the rice till it is well coated with oil and it starts looking opaque.
• Now I transferred the rice to a microwave safe glass bowl and added coconut milk and water and gave it a gentle stir. Cooked the rice in microwave mode for 5 min. Then I stirred the rice gently. Covered it and let it rest in microwave for 5 min. Again cooked covered on microwave for 4 min. 
• If you are going to cook the rice on stove top, add coconut milk and water to the frying pan, bring to boil, then turn down the heat and cover. Cook gently for 15-20 min till all the water is absorbed.
• Turn off the heat and let the rice cook under steam for 10 min.
• Fluff the rice with fork and serve warm