Instant Pot Yellow Rice

Hey babes,

When I was growing up, I absolutely loved plain white rice. A little margarine and salt and I could’ve eaten a whole pan. And, even though white rice isn’t as fiber-rich as brown rice, I keep it in stock because it is so cheap and an easier sell to picky kids. However, my kiddos didn’t inherit my deep love of simple rice, but there is one thing guaranteed to please: Mahatma yellow rice.

As much as I preach against prepackaged food, I have no beef with this one. The add-ins make sense for fortification and flavor. No biggie there. But I don’t keep it in my pantry every day, and as cheap as it is, it’s still more expensive than plain white rice. So, if at five o’clock I decide to make yellow rice to go with dinner, I don’t want to have to load up the kids, drive to the store, buy some, drive home, and then cook it. Thankfully, improvisation is the mother of invention. Plain rice, a few spices, broth, and my trusty Instant Pot, and done. The kids love it, I love it, and I get to add my favorite curry powder flavors.

Like White on Rice

Normally, I am the first person to make the case for less processed food, and by and large that stance hasn’t changed. However, with inflation driving up food prices and lots of people trying to feed their families on a shoestring, I thought I would make a case for white rice.

While it is stripped of its fiber in the refinement process, which does make it a higher glycemic index food, it is still considered a moderate GI food, nine points higher than brown. Additionally it receives something in the trade-off: fortification. White rice retains the protein of brown rice and is typically fortified with iron, niacin, thiamin, and folate.

At the end of the day, brown is going to be better overall, but for a struggling family or picky kids, white is certainly not going to hurt you in moderation.

Golden Goddess

Spices are the secret to making simple ingredients transform into beautiful meals. If you don’t have spices, or you let them collect dust in your cabinets, it’s time to reevaluate. I’ve talked before about the benefit of combining turmeric and black pepper and the effects on inflammation. Curry powder has many of the same benefits due to the turmeric already blended in, but other base spices like coriander and cumin add even more power (and flavor).

Just to name a few, curry powder has been shown to improve blood sugar levels, improve feelings of fullness and digestive health, contain an array of antioxidants, and improve heart health through lowering risk factors like high blood pressure and cholesterol.

All that being said, let’s get to the recipe. It is impossible to mess up, and after you pour everything in, you can ignore it until it’s done. Check it out and let me know what you think!