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yellow rice recipe with potato cooked in one pot and garnished with fresh coriander leaves

Yellow Rice Recipe with Potato (One Pot, Done in 30 Minutes)

Basmati rice cooked in one pot with potatoes and a turmeric spice base. Everything builds in the same pot and the rice comes out yellow, spiced, and separate.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 3 People
Course: Indian, Pakistani
Calories: 760
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Rice and Potatoes
  • 400 g basmati rice soaked 30 to 60 minutes before cooking
  • 200 g potatoes peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups water for the rice use same cup used to measure the rice
  • 100 ml water for half cooking the potatoes
For the Spice Base
  • 70 ml cooking oil
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder
  • Less than half tbsp salt
To Finish
  • Fresh coriander leaves

Method
 

Soak the Rice:
  1. Wash rice and soak in water for 30 to 60 minutes before you start cooking.
Prep the Potatoes:
  1. Peel and cut potatoes into small pieces, around 1 to 1.5 inches.
  2. Small pieces are important so they finish at the same time as the rice.
Make the Spice Base:
  1. Heat 70ml oil in a pot on medium flame for about 40 seconds until the raw smell fades.
  2. Add sliced onion and cumin seeds. Stir until onion turns golden brown.
  3. Add chopped tomato, red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt.
  4. Cook on medium to high flame for about 7 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Wait until oil releases and collects at the sides and surface of the pot before moving on.
Half Cook the Potatoes:
  1. Add potato pieces into the spice base along with 100ml water.
  2. Cover and cook on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes until a knife goes in but they still feel firm in the center.
Add the Rice and Cook:
  1. Drain soaked rice and add into the pot.
  2. Pour in 2 cups of water (same cup used to measure the rice).
  3. Stir so rice picks up the spice base and colors evenly.
  4. Cover and cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
  5. Drop to low flame and leave for another 5 minutes without lifting the lid.
  6. Open, top with fresh coriander, and serve.

Notes

Do not add potatoes before the oil releases from the spice base. Undercooked masala makes the whole dish taste raw.
The 5 minutes on low flame at the end is where the extra moisture finishes cooking off. Do not lift the lid during this step.