Geelrys

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well. This removes excess surface starch so the grains cook up fluffier rather than sticky.

   150 g long-grain white rice
2. 2

   Combine the water, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter evenly.

   400 ml water3 g salt3 g ground turmeric2 g ground cinnamon20 g butter12 g sugar
3. 3

   Add the drained rice and raisins, stir once, and return to a gentle boil. As soon as the surface is bubbling steadily, reduce the heat to very low and cover tightly with a lid.

   150 g long-grain white rice40 g raisins
4. 4

   Cook covered for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The rice is ready when the liquid has been absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface. If the pan seems too wet at 15 minutes, cook 1 to 2 minutes more on very low heat.

5. 5

   Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Resting lets the moisture redistribute so the grains finish cooking gently and stay separate.

6. 6

   Fluff the rice gently with a fork, folding from the edges into the centre so you do not break the grains. Transfer to a serving dish, dot with the extra butter, and dust lightly with the remaining cinnamon before serving warm.

   5 g extra butter0.5 g ground cinnamon

Origin & History

Geelrys, meaning 'yellow rice' in Afrikaans, is a classic South African side dish with roots in Cape Malay cooking traditions. Its warm spices, gentle sweetness, and raisins reflect the influence of the spice trade on the Cape, and it is especially well known as a traditional accompaniment to bobotie.