Turmeric Rice with Cashews & Dried Cherries

Kick up your side dish game with this Turmeric Rice recipe, complete with crunchy cashews and sweet-tart cherries.

You can’t beat guests who show up on your doorstep with a full dinner in hand! Last week when my parents came for a visit from Canada, they unloaded dish upon dish of scrumptious food from the cooler in the back of their car. Thick, meaty lamb chops in a Greek-inspired tomato sauce, an apple pie, a berry pie, stinky cheeses (love!), four different types of olives, and a dish of savory rice with cashews and dried cherries.

Best guests ever, right?

I didn’t have the exact recipe for the rice on hand, but did my best to re-create it. The original idea came from a dear family friend, Barbara, who helps my parents with some meals and whipped up this amazing feast. She also happens to be one of the most creative people I’ve ever met. This woman can do everything from drafting plans for a brilliant, environmentally friendly house to raising ducks to producing a wonderful meal at the drop of a hat. I want to be Barbara when I grow up!

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The bright yellow color of this turmeric rice comes from ground turmeric, which can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores. I also added some garam masala for extra flavor. If you don’t have garam masala on hand, ground coriander would be a good substitute.

I always opt for brown rice for the extra hit of fiber. In this recipe, I used brown jasmine rice, but brown basmati would work just as well. And then the best part…crunchy cashews and sweet-tart dried cherries.

This turmeric rice works well as a side for almost any protein – pork tenderloin, braised chicken thighs and so on – or as a base for a savory curry.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I’ll be sure to find it.

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Turmeric Rice with Cashews & Dried Cherries

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Kick up your side dish game with this Turmeric Rice recipe, complete with crunchy cashews and sweet-tart cherries. Vegan and gluten free. 108 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Yields 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup brown jasmine rice (or basmati)
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup dried cherries

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garam masala and turmeric.
2. Stir in the rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Stir in the cashews and dried cherries. Serve.

by From the kitchen of cookincanuck.com

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 3 (SmartPoints), 3 (Points+)

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