Turmeric-Sage Rice with Pickled Kale Stems

“Yellow is my favourite rice!” said my brother as I lifted the cover of the rice cooker to reveal a turmeric-tinged batch of Basmati.

“It’s seriously just turmeric and rice,” I said, but it did look good. Sometimes it takes a brother to point out how delicious a colour can be.

We do eat with our eyes, after all, which is probably why I should have just kept the picture of straight-up golden rice above instead of this concoction with sage (I have way too much in my garden and it’s got to go somewhere), pickled kale stems (I hate waste and these are crunchy little wonders – thanks, Chef Jonah for the tip!) and the last of my garden’s cherry tomatoes.

Too much colour – and clashing colours like above – are unappetizing, I admit. I can just picture my brother’s nose wrinkling if I’d opened the rice cooker to reveal all that faded (but delicious!) sage. so if you have picky eaters, just try sprinkling a half teaspoon of dried turmeric into your next batch of rice.

But if you like crunch and juicy tomatoes and bitter greens, give this a try. And slice the tomatoes into halves or smaller pieces – unless you’re usually cooking for one in the time of COVID, and just can’t be bothered.

Turmeric-Sage Rice with Pickled Kale Stems

1 cup Basmati rice
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp dried turmeric powder
A small handful of dried sage leaves, crumbled, or 1/2 tsp powder

Pickled Kale Stems:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
A bunch of kale, leaves removed for another purpose, stems diced

Some cherry tomatoes, optional

Make the pickled stems first by stirring together the vinegar, water, salt in a small pot. Bring it to a boil, then pour it over the diced kale stems in a heat-proof, non-plastic jar. Leave it on the counter if using immediately or stick it in the fridge for a day or two. It’ll last a month or two.

To make the rice, rinse and massage it in a few changes of water until the water isn’t cloudy anymore. Drain it well, then add it to a rice cooker or pot with the 2 1/4 cups water and turmeric. You know how to make rice from here, right? Bring it to a boil, covered, reduce the heat to low and cook it for about 12 minutes, then remove it from the heat and let it steam (still covered, no peeking!) a few more minutes.

Scoop it out on a plate and top with the pickled kale stems (use some of the brine if you want a little bite to your rice) and the cherry tomatoes. I like to serve this with fish or rice or lentils or chickpeas or pretty much anything.