Yellow Rice with and fried egg

Fragrant yellow rice served with spicy garlic tostones and crispy fried eggs. Yellow is very easy to make and it is flavored with curry powder, saffron and garlic. Tostones are twice fried plantains from Puerto Rico. Tostones are usually served with rice and beans. However I served them with yellow rice and fried eggs.

 

 

Yellow rice recipe adapted from : http://africanbites.com/?p=12569

Garlic tostones recipe adapted from : http://pinchofyum.com/garlic-tostones-puerto-rican-fried-plantains

Ingredients

For the Yellow Rice

• 1 Cup long grain rice or basmati rice
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon ghee ( clarified butter)  alternatively you can use butter
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Medium red onion chopped finely
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon curry powder
• a  pinch of hing or asafoetida
• 1 and 1/2 Cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock
• a pinch of saffron
• Salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish or chopped spring onion greens

Direction

1. Wash rice several times and soak in tap water for 15 to 20 minutes
2. In a pan heat oil and ghee. When the oil is hot, add onion and fry until they are soft
3. Then add garlic and fry for 30 seconds
4. Switch off the flame and add curry powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and hing. Give it a nice stir
5. Drain water from the rice and add the rice to the pan and gently stir in
6. Switch on the flame and keep the flame at low. Then add stock to the rice. Check for the salt and season with more salt accordingly
7. Close the pan with a lid and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is almost cooked through
8. Add saffron and cook for 5 more minutes until the rice is cooked through. Switch off the flame
9. Sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves over the rice and close the pan with the lid and let the flavors develop. Let the rice rest for 8 to 10 minutes and then serve hot

For the Spicy Garlic Tostones

• 1 green plantain
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• oil for deep frying
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder 
• 1/4 Teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder  to sprinkle
• Salt to taste 

Directions 

1. In a mixing bowl, add a cup of water , a big pinch of salt and garlic
2. Peel plantain and discard skin. Then cut them into thick discs. Add plantains to the garlic water and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove them from the water and gently pat dry on a paper towel. Do not discard the water yet
3. In a pan heat oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot, add plantain discs and fry until they are lightly browned. Fry in batches of 5 to 6 discs at a time
4. Remove from oil and place them on a paper towel. Then using a potato masher , gently smash them to flatten them little bit. Do not break or crush them. you need to maintain the shape and just make them thinner
5. Then add these plantains to the garlic water and soak for about 2 minutes
6. Then remove them from the water and deep fry in the hot oil until they are crispy and golden
7. Remove from oil and set aside on a paper towel
8. In a small plate add chilli powder, onion powder, garlic powder , a pinch of salt and mix together
9. Sprinkle this spice powder mix over the hot fried plantains and toss evenly. This step is optional. You can serve tostones without this spice mix. Since I like it spicy, I added the chilli powder
10. Serve hot with your favourite dip or with yellow rice as a side