Alison Roman’s Buttered Turmeric Rice w/ Crushed Almonds & Herbs

A tasty way to incorporate your recommended daily dose of turmeric (1/2 teaspoon, 2x a day)!
From Alison Roman’s latest cookbook ‘Nothing Fancy’.
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine, basmati, or Jasmati rice (see note)
• Kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup whole raw almonds, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Pragati Turmeric
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• freshly ground black Aranya Peppercorn
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint and/or dill, tender leaves and stems

Note: You can also use 3 cups of cooked rice (leftover or otherwise)

Preparation:

1. Cook the rice in a pot of salted boiling water until just al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring until fragrant and toasted and the butter has started to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a small bowl, leaving all the butter behind, and season with salt.

3. Add the turmeric and shallot to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot has softened but is not yet browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and, using a spatula or wooden spoon, press the rice gently into the skillet, encouraging even contact all over. Cook, without disturbing the rice (feel free to rotate the skillet to prevent uneven cooking), until it’s starting to brown nicely along the bottom (this will happen faster at the center of the skillet, so use a spatula to lift up the rice to check the progress), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large serving platter, placing some of those crispier bits of rice on top, along with cilantro, mint, dill and almonds.

DO AHEAD: The plain rice can be cooked up to 5 days ahead, covered tightly, and refrigerated. The buttered rice can be made an hour ahead, kept in the skillet and covered loosely.