Saffron Vegetarian Rice

Posted on April 7, 2023 By thevegetariancookingcouple

Well, this Saffron Vegetarian Rice has been a staple in our home for so many years. We love the flavor so much that we make it more than we probably should. Frequently, we double the recipe to have enough for the entire week. It is not uncommon for us to eat it in a wrap for breakfast, by itself with a little hot sauce for lunch, then as a side for dinner. We do hope our Saffron Vegetarian Rice will become one you will enjoy for years to come.

Saffron Vegetarian Rice Ingredients

Raw Sugar – 1 1/2 Tablespoons
Oat Milk – 8 Ounces
Butter (or Vegan Alternative) 2 Tablespoons
Panner – One Package – Fried in Oil or Air Fryer
Salt – 2 Teaspoons or to Taste (We like a bit more salt in this recipe)
Raisins – 2/3 Cup
Water – 3 Cups
Rice – 2 Cups Basmati (Uncooked)
Cashews – 2/3 Cup Fried in oil or Air Fryer
Saffron – 1 Teaspoon powdered or two teaspoons of Saffron Strands
Oil – For Frying

How to Prepare Saffron Vegetarian Rice

The first step is to rinse the two cups of Basmati Rice until the water runs clear.
Now, cover the rice with cold water (tap water is fine) for about fifteen to twenty minutes. While the rice is soaking, start prepping the other ingredients.
Cut the paneer into one-inch cubes. Add oil to a frying pan and cook until evenly browned. Don’t worry, the cheese will not melt in the process. If you are like us, you can absolutely use your air-fryer to reduce the oil. Lightly cover with oil and air-fry until brown on all sides. Make sure to turn the panner to ensure it browns evenly, no matter which method you employ. Once cooked, set aside. If you have the ability to keep the cheese warm in your oven, etc., do so.
While the panner is cooking, place the one and a half teaspoons of raw sugar into a bowl and then add eight ounces of warmed oat milk and stir.
This next step is used for both the powdered saffron and the strands of saffron. Add the saffron to the oat milk and sugar mixture. Stir and set aside.
Next, split the two-cup cups of cashews in half along the seam. Like with the cheese, you may either fry them in the oil or use an air-fryer. Be sure to turn the cashews frequently to prevent burning. The key here is to soften the cashews slightly and to get a light browning on them. They will burn quickly, so keep an eye on the cashews.
Now, warm a pan or pot large enough to hold all the ingredients once the rice has cooked.
Once the pan is warm, it is time to half the butter or vegan alternative. The butter will melt quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Here, we will be slightly toasting the rice. Add the rice and frequently stir for approximately three to four minutes or until the rice is slightly browned.
Once the rice has been toasted, add the three cups of water and the two teaspoons of salt. Remember, you can add more salt after the food is cooked if so desired. So, add less at this point if you want. But as stated above, we prefer this dish to be slightly salty.
Bring the rice to a boil, then cover and lower the heat. Check the rice in five minutes to ensure you have not run out of water (this happens if the heat is too high). In another five minutes, stir in the oat milk saffron mixture. Be very careful and not too aggressive with the stirring to keep the rice looking like rice. Recover and cook until the rice is thoroughly cooked. As you get closer to the end of cooking the rice, consider removing the cover so the water can evaporate.
Once the Saffron Vegetarian Rice is cooked, it is time for plating. Add the desired amount to the plate, add a small amount of butter or a vegan alternative, and slightly mix into the rice. Next, top the rice with the fried cashews and the fried panner cheese.

Now you know how to make our Saffron Vegetarian Rice. Happy Eatin’

For your convenience, we have included some related recipes below:

Paneer Recipes

Butter Panner (Vegan Option Included):

We have always been a fan of Butter Paneer. Sadly each time we made this dish, it seemed to be missing something. Then, while traveling through India, we learned traditional Indian cooking. This course helped us understand Indian Cooking a bit more. As a result of and through years of trial and error, we have created a wonder Butter Paneer Recipe.

But we have not forgotten our vegan friends with this recipe. We replaced items such as paneer with tofu.