Take Christmas lunch to the next level with this amazing recipe. This is not your typical or “traditional” Christmas rice recipe. This dish uses a combination of herbs, spices, aromatics and Angostura Orange Bitters to create an absolutely mouthwatering medley. The addition of nuts and dried fruit introduces another layer of textures and flavor to this dish.
Festive Rice
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups long grain parboiled rice washed
- 3 ½ cups water
- Angostura Orange Bitters
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 purple onions diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch piece ginger minced
- 8 pimentos diced
- 4 sweet peppers diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 12 leaves sage finely chopped
- 5 sprigs fine thyme finely chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp MSG optional
- salt & black pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil optional
Instructions
- Add rice to water with bay leaf, cinnamon and star anise.
- Bring rice to a simmer on medium/high heat then reduce to lowest heat. Cover then allow to cook for 10 minutes.
- Once rice is finished cooking, use a wooden spoon, spatula or fork to fluff.
- In a hot pot add oil, then add onions, carrots, pimentos and ginger. Season with salt then sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic, sage, thyme, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and dried cranberries to pot. Add msg then continue to sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add a few liberal dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters. Stop when the ancestors say "that's enough"
- Add turmeric powder and cardamom powder then toss.
- Add half of the rice to the pot then combine with aromatics.
- Add remaining rice along with lemon zest to pot then combine until fully mixed.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Finish with sesame oil or olive oil (optional).
- Serve & Enjoy!
Video
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