Have you ever tried citrusy, saffron rice? If not, I am sure you will fall in love with both its taste and texture!

A few years ago, me and my mum, we were obsessed over this method of cooking rice adding saffron and lemon and receiving beautiful yellow colour and amazing citrus taste. I used to cook the rice this way, adding then lots of stewed vegetables and that was my favourite and almost every day meal for quite a long time. However, for the past 3 years I have kept forgetting about this recipe, having in mind many different ones, but when my grandma brought me from holidays a small jar of saffron, I knew that the next post will be about this delicious rice recipe!

This is literally the best rice ever, and this time I decided to make it even more citrus taste adding some freshly-squeezed orange juice! And guess what….it turned out to be even better!

You can combine it with whatever you want adding as I did this time orange macerated carrots or various vegetables making a risotto. Depending on what rice you choose either more or less sticky you can also do a cold rice salad, because this citrusy, saffron rice tastes amazing even if it is not hot.

When it comes to rice thanks to my Chinese friend I discovered how their totally basic rice differs from the one available in normal stores. So forget about the one you cook in bags and make a visit in a Chinese shop to buy delicious and naturally sticky rice with an amazing smell as well as creamy and delicate taste.

What is also important is to soak rice overnight or at least 8 hours!  It makes it much more digestible and shorten the needed time for cooking! Before putting it into the pot do not forget about rinsing it finely! I recommend doing it with all the grains and your digestive system will say thanks to you!

This is a perfect lunch idea especially for summer days! This citrusy taste, creamy rice, crunchy carrots, creamy avocado pesto and coriander…so fresh and so delisious!

Find the recipe below!

INGREDINTS:

• Rice (soaked in the water overnight)
• Saffron
• Lemon
• Orange
• Carrots
• Coriander
• Black Sesame Seeds
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Nigella Seeds

METHOD:

Put your soaked and finely rinsed rice in the pot, add the boiling water to be 1-2 cm above the rice and start cooking it. Then, zest the lemon (yellow part) and halve it. Add to the rice a pinch of salt, a bit of saffron, lemon zest, squeeze half of the orange and place in a pot a half of lemon (the one without skin). Cook it until the water evaporates and the rice become soft! At the end squeeze the lemon with the fork, mix it and leave it aside, covering the pot.

While cooking the rice, prepare the carrots. Peel the skin and then using the peeler make a carrot stripes. Next put the olive oil, freshly-squeezed orange juice, salt & nigella seeds into the bowl and macerate the carrot stripes in it leaving them for approximately half an hour.

Once the rice is cooked and carrots are macerated the only thing is left is serving your delicious meal. Make a portion for you and keep the rest in the fridge.

TO SERVE:

Put some saffron rice and carrots in a bowl add a spoon of Super Creamy Avocado Pesto and a few leaves of fresh coriander. Sprinkle it with some black sesame seeds and pinch of salt! Vary on the topping adding whatever nuts or seeds you want!

Enjoy your meal!

Hope you like this recipe!