Go Back
Print Recipe

Kaha Bath (Sri Lankan Yellow Rice)

This Sri Lankan-style Yellow Rice, locally known as Kaha Bath, is a festive rice dish mostly served on special occasions. The vibrant yellow color comes from turmeric which is a natural food coloring- an amazing spice to include in your diet as it has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Course: Festive Dish, Main Dish, Rice, Special Dish
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Keyword: Kaha Bath, Sri Lankan Yellow Rice, Turmeric Rice, Yellow Rice
Servings: 2 to 4
Author: kanthi

Ingredients

For Yellow Rice

  • 250 g Basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp butter or ghee
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium onion finely sliced
  • 3 cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • 2- inch piece cinnamon
  • 8 peppercorns
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2- inch piece of lemon grass
  • 6 curry leaves
  • 2- inch piece of pandan leaf
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 300 ml thick coconut milk
  • 100 ml warm water

Garnish (Optional)

  • 2 tbsp raisins
  • 10 cashew nuts whole or halved
  • 2 tbsp green peas boiled
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs cut into slices
  • 1 tbsp Fried onions
  • 1 tbsp carrots finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp red paprika finely chopped

Instructions

  • Wash and drain the rice. Make sure to remove the water as much as possible. Set it aside.
  • Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and saute until transparent, do not let the onions caramelize. Add other ingredients (garlic, ginger cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, curry leaves, pandan, lemongrass) except rice and salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes to release and combine all the flavors.
  • Add the washed and drained rice and saute, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes until each rice grain is covered with the aromatic mixture. Season with salt.
  • Put the fried rice into a rice cooker. Pour in the water and coconut milk. Stir a few times then start cooking. When the rice is cooked, a nice smell comes.
  • Stir gently with a fork and remove the whole spices and herbs from the rice. Transfer the rice into an air-tight container to prevent it from drying out until you are ready to serve.
  • Cooking rice on the stove gives just as great results (Read the post for detailed steps). You can cook the rice in the same frying pan you use to saute the rice if use a frying pan with high sides or else use a pot if you like it that way. Make sure the frying pan or pot has a lid that fits tightly to prevent too much steam from escaping the pot.
  • Sprinkle the top of the rice with the fried raisins, fried onions, cashew nuts, and boiled green peas. Arrange the sliced eggs on top of the rice. You can also serve it just plain with side dishes.

Notes

Use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water, if desired. If you use thin coconut milk, add 400ml of thin coconut milk without water.