I never cooked with Saffron until it was on sale one day at the market. I purchased it and told myself I would learn to cook with it to use it some how as I always was drawn to this spice. A highly sought out spice I knew it had to be amazing!
I love this recipe and I make it weekly…saffron adds an almost buttery taste to the rice and both saffron and cardamom are dosha balancing in Ayurvedic practices. Saffron is sweet, astringent, and bitter to taste, heating with a sweet vipaka (post-digestive effect). It is easy to digest and helps food allergies.
Ingredients for the rice:
1 generous pinch saffron
1 Tbs water
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 Tbs coconut oil
4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbs ground siagon cinnamon
7 cloves, whole
1/2 tsp salt
7 cardamom pods, whole OR 1 1/2 Tbs ground cardamom
4 cups hot water
Ingredients for the sweet potatoes:
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp ground cardamom
Ingredients for the green beans:
1 bag of fresh green beans
1 tsp coconut oil
salt/pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Soak the saffron in the 1 tablespoon water for at least 10 minutes. This can sit while you do everything else.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, put them on a baking sheet with the tsp coconut oil and tsp cardamom. Toss and stick in the oven at 375 degrees. Let cook until tender and slightly browned. I find that usually they are done when the rice is done sometimes just a few minutes after.
Wash and rinse the rice twice. Drain.
Heat a pot over medium heat and add the 3 tbsp coconut. oil.
Then add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt, and cardamom and mix well for a minute. Turn the heat to low, add the rice and sauté in the spices for 2 minutes.
Pour in the hot water and the soaked saffron and bring to a gentle boil. Boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Then turn down the heat to medium and partially cover.
Continue to boil gently for another 5 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep from sticking.
In another pan put a tsp coconut oil and the green beans and saute a few minutes until slightly cooked but still somewhat crunchy.
Turn the heat on the rice to low, fully cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
Dish up the rice and top with the sweet potato cubes and green beans.
Enjoy this meal made with love and intention✨
Sometimes at the end of an intense and eventful day, comfort food can be soothing and reviving. The simplicity of steamed vegetables and saffron rice can relieve your tension and set you up for an evening of relaxation and recharge. If you try this recipe, leave me a comment below and let me know how it went! If you changed anything up or substituted ingredients share that too I love variations 💕