Back when I was in college, there was this awesome little Asian restaurant near me that put golden raisins in their “house special” fried rice. I was completely addicted to the stuff, but at the time I didn’t know much about cooking so I thought that what I was eating must have been grapes that shriveled with cooking, rather than raisins that plumped. After the restaurant went under, I spent years attempting (and failing) to recreate the dish by sauteeing grapes in a wok, before I even learned that there was such a thing as golden raisins. I’ve dedicated my life ever since to making up for those lost years.
But there’s more to this dish than just golden raisins, oh indeed! First, dice up an onion, and sautee it in some olive oil until it’s translucent. You’ll want to do this in a large oven-proof pot with a lid.
Next, stir in 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You may want to start with even less if your kids are sensitive to spice, it’s not overwhelming but a little cayenne pepper goes a long way.
As soon as the spices have been spread around with the onions, pour in 1 cup of dry, uncooked rice. Stir rapidly until all the remaining oil and liquid from the onions has been absorbed.
Pour in 2 cups of gluten-free chicken broth, such as Pacific Foods. [As always, the brands I use were GFCF at the time of posting, but manufacturers can change formulas without warning. Always check your labels!]
And of course the magic ingredient, 1/4 cup of golden raisins. Make sure your raisins are sticky, by the way. Every once in awhile, a manufacturer will try to be “helpful” by tossing their raisins with flour so that they’re easier to pluck apart and eat with your fingers. So very helpful, those food manufacturers.
Bring everything to a low boil, cover tightly, and bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
Just before serving, gently fold in 1/4 cup of toasted almond slices. (To toast any kind of nuts, just cook them in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, stirring once a minute and keeping a nose out for that toasty smell and crunchy texture.)
And there you have it! Look how plump those raisins got. It’s not fried rice like my original inspiration, after all, but that just means it’s healthier for you. And healthy never tasted as good as this.
Happy Eating!
Moroccan Rice
1 medium onion
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup dry basmati rice
2 cups Pacific Foods chicken broth
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Purple onions!