Rice is a universal side dish, because it can be served with fish, meat, mushrooms, vegetables and seafood. It perfectly absorbs the aroma of any spices, but not all seasonings are combined with it. So that the rice dish does not turn into a simple mess, you need to know not only the cooking rules, but also add curry, saffron, ginger, etc.
Pick your recipe
In almost any store you can buy a ready-made mixture of seasonings for rice. She has two advantages: low cost and the right ratio of spices, which can not interrupt the flavor of each other. But there is an important drawback: there is too much salt in it, and their aroma and taste does not differ in variety. To cook unique dishes with rice, it is better to experiment and make your own set of spices.
What spices can be added to rice?
The most common condiments are turmeric and curry. Thanks to turmeric, rice will acquire an appetizing golden color, and this spice can be used for any variety, as well as for cooking pilaf. Curry is not a separate spice, but a whole mixture, which includes turmeric, red pepper, coriander, cloves. In European cuisine, ginger root and cayenne pepper are added to these seasonings, in the Middle East - allspice, asafoetida, cardamom and cinnamon, and in South Asian, it contains 16 spices, including mint, galgant root and fennel.
In order for rice to acquire a pleasant sourness, a few barberry berries are put in it. Together with them you can use coriander and zira, especially if there is meat in the dish. It is important to remember that zira should be put at the very beginning of cooking: grind in the palms of your hands, and then fry in a pan. Traditionally, rice can be supplemented with black pepper.
If turmeric is more suitable for pilaf, then in dishes with chicken and vegetables it is better to replace it with saffron. By the way, you can experiment with the recipe for pilaf and add ginger to it. Rice is served with fresh basil, cilantro or parsley.