Saffron Rice - Migraine & Blood Purifying Remedy

This dish is great if you have a tendency for migraines. Saffron is also:

  • Tri-doshic; balances all three doshas

  • Blood purifier that invigorates and promotes healthy blood circulation moves the blood while cooling it. Saffron breaks up blood clots and clears liver stagnation.

  • Cooling properties & Pitta balancing for disorders with blood stagnation, including inflammation, arthritis, acne, and hepatitis. Lowers fevers.

  • Revitalising for the mind; cooling for a hot-headed, irritated Pitta mind .

  • Saffron is sweet/ astringent/bitter in taste

Ingredients

1 pinch Saffron

1 Tab water

1 ½ cups organic basmati rice

3 Tabs Ghee or olive oil

4 Bay leaves

7 small pieces of Cinnamon bark

7 Cloves

7 Cardamom pods

Pinch of salt,

4 Cups hot filtered water

Directions

  1. Soak saffron in 1 Tab hot water for 10 minutes.

  2. Wash and rinse rice twice and drain.

  3. Heat pot, add ghee and then all the spices except saffron.

  4. Turn heat down and add rice and sauté in spices for 2 minutes.

  5. Pour in hot water and soaked saffron and bring to gentle boil.

  6. Boil uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep from sticking.

  7. Turn heat to low and fully cover and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes).


RICE VARIATIONS

Try the following variations, each with 175g basmati rice.

Cumin Rice:

Cook basmati rice and cool. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee, add 2 tsp. cumin seeds and fry to release aroma. Add cooled rice, a handful of freshly chopped coriander and a little lemon juice.

Lemon rice:

Cook rice and add a handful of chopped cashew nuts; lightly roasted nuts will make them more digestible. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee, add ½ tsp. mustard seeds and heat till they pop. Add to rice with juice of one lemon and ½  tsp. turmeric. Garnish with shredded coconut.

Coconut rice:

Fry one finely chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in 1 tbsp. ghee. Stir in uncooked rice and 50g dessicated coconut. Add  pinch of salt and just enough water to cover rice. Bring to boil, cover and simmer until water absorbed. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Rice with almonds:

Cook rice. Dry roast 50g flaked almonds and about 40 pine nuts. Once rice cooked, transfer to bowl, mix with nuts and 3 tbp. each of chopped parsley and coriander, a pinch of cayenne pepper and  a pinch of chilli flakes.