# Yellow Rice What Is It?



## Elf

Just curious, what is yellow rice? Rice with turmeric or saffron in it? I have seen it on the super market shelves, seen it in cook books , but never knew what it tastes like or it uses.


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## expatgirl

Well, Elf, I checked a few sites for you and it appears that the majority include turmeric for the yellowing and taste factor though in a few cases  saffron was mentioned as well.......if it's on the supermarket shelves I'd read the ingredients..turmeric has been mentioned in many health-related articles recently as being beneficial...so who knows......I think that my taste buds would opt for inclusion in Asian recipes.......


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## Yakuta

Turmeric would give a brighter yellow color to rice than saffron so I would say it's rice made with turmeric.  I know there is also annato that can give rice a yellow color.  The flavor of turmeric (used mostly in savory dishes and is pungent and slightly bitter) is different than saffron (more floral) or annato.  

Are you looking at a specific recipe or just inquiring in general.


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## Elf

Yakula, sorry I didn't respond sooner, I asked the question as general question, I was reading a recipe that called for it and I have seen it in other recipes and was just wondering what it was. Seems a lot of Southern cookbooks use it. Thanks for your info.


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## licia

My mother used it with chicken, or pork in many ways.  I like it by itself or included in other dishes calling for rice. I think it is sometimes used in Cuban recipes also.


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## zfranca

I have a question. Is the rice yellow before cooking it?


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## Andy M.

zfranca said:


> I have a question. Is the rice yellow before cooking it?



No.  You start with regular long grain white rice and cook it with onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric, chicken broth...

The saffron and turmeric make it yellow.


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## Linux

Andy M. said:


> No.  You start with regular long grain white rice and cook it with onion, garlic, saffron, turmeric, chicken broth...
> 
> The saffron and turmeric make it yellow.



Not wishing to be pedantic here, AndyM, but saffron's gorgeous fragrance is completely wasted if turmeric is used.


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## Andy M.

Linux said:


> Not wishing to be pedantic here, AndyM, but saffron's gorgeous fragrance is completely wasted if turmeric is used.



I didn't create the dish, just answered the question.


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## Linux

lol


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## zfranca

I got curious because ELF said he saw yellow rice on supermarket shelves. How can cooked rice be on supermarket shelves? 
ELF, are you still around to answer this question?


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## Robo410

rice can be made yellow with anato, turmeric, or saffron.  saffron is the most expensive and gives the most flavor. It is the custom of many cuisines to color rice with spices and or vegetables (tomato broth for example) as well as to give it flavor. We Americans of a certain generation had rice and gravy with our roasted chicken on a Sunday. The gravy flavored the rice and also colored it.


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## Andy M.

This is probably what ELF was referring to:


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## Kayelle

Annatto powder is typically used in yellow rice, rather than either saffron, or turmeric.


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## zfranca

Thanks Andy M.
Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?


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## PrincessFiona60

zfranca said:


> Thanks Andy M.
> Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?


 
I believe that brand comes with a spice packet, "Yellow Rice" is the name of the end product.  HTH!


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## Andy M.

zfranca said:


> Thanks Andy M.
> Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?



I've used this and other Goya mixes.  They are pretty good.  

The box contains rice and an envelope of flavorings that you add to the pot.  The rice is white until you mix in the envelope.


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## zfranca

Thank you Andy M.
You nailed it just right. There is not such a thing as yellow rice. The rice becomes yellow with the cooking process. The name Goya and the Arroz Amarillo on the box suggest that it might come from Spain. In that case I suspect what turns the rice yellow would be saffron.


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## Kayelle

I'm sure that it's raw rice inside the Goya box of yellow rice, Franka, with flavors included.


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## Andy M.

zfranca said:


> Thank you Andy M.
> You nailed it just right. There is not such a thing as yellow rice. The rice becomes yellow with the cooking process. The name Goya and the Arroz Amarillo on the box suggest that it might come from Spain. In that case I suspect what turns the rice yellow would be saffron.



Google, 'Spanish Yellow Rice' to see some recipes.


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## ChefJune

I was going to say that it depends upon who's making it what it is that makes it yellow.

I suspect most Spanish folks use saffron. That's what they use at my favorite Spanish restaurant in New York, and what I use when I make it.  But I suspect most Indian folks would use turmeric.  and I suspect most boxed products are mainly annato.

Otherwise, it would depend upon what flavor you want in your rice which "yellower" you use.


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## powerplantop

Most rice in a box is Par-boiled. It’s partially cooked using industrial cookers and dried then the rice is milled. This helps to shorten the cooking time for the home cook. 
 
Par-boiled rice requires less water to cook. 
 
The color will be off white to brownish.


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## Kimber

Please tell me it's different than yellow snow? 
        Immature and silly, I know. But I couldn't help it


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## Robo410

well again that would depend on the region you're from and the recipe you're using


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## Elf

The yellow rice I was referring to is made by Mahatna, there are others on the market, some sold as if they were to be Incorporated into Southern dish's.  The rice is not cooked, and is yellow in color. I don't know if the raw rice has been coated to appear to be yellow or what they did to it. The last time I made yellow rice I used Zatarans rice mix, to me it was better then just plain rice, but having not grown up with yellow rice I have no reference as to how good it is compared to yellow rice made from scratch..


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## Linux

zfranca said:


> Thanks Andy M.
> Do you think the rice was precooked with either saffron or turmeric or Annatto powder. Could you tell from the box?



Inb4Andy, I think yellow rice is at its most beautiful when just a small pinch of real saffron threads are added. The fragrance beats into a cocked hat all commercial brands of the same.


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## zfranca

Elf, a quick look at the ingredients listed on the box would tell you what had been used to color the rice yellow.
Also another hint when you opened the box: Did it have an aroma?


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## jackjonson

Elf said:


> Just curious, what is yellow rice? Rice with turmeric or saffron in it? I have seen it on the super market shelves, seen it in cook books , but never knew what it tastes like or it uses.



it's yellow because of the saffron...it's called risotto alla milanese.


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## Navymommy

I grew up with homemade yellow rice. My mother and her family were from Barbados and my great aunt always used saffron. Definitely a distinct aroma and taste. Absolutely delicious. Mahatma's doesn't come close and I've never tried Zatarains. I never got the recipe from her to my regret.


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