Egyptian seafood rice

In Egypt, there is a special rice that goes with seafood, it cannot be regular white or basmati rice. It has to have special flavors like onions, garlic and cumin. I have never seen anyone in Egypt eat seafood with white rice, this is how serious it is to eat the right rice. It has few steps to build the flavors but it all starts with the base. It is based on browned onions, garlic and cumin.

Ingredients

2 cups of calrose rice (short grain)
3 cups hot water
1 large diced red onion
6 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional for more yellowish color)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 diced bell pepper
1 diced tomato
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper (rice takes some salt so taste and I add like 2 teaspoons of salt)

Wash the rice and drain it for now.
On a medium heat, add the oil in a deep pot. When the oil gets a bit hot, put the onions and stir it until it is browned but not burnt.

Browned onions in oil

Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, turmeric and stir.

Adding garlic, tomato paste, spices and bell peppers to the onions.

Add the rice and stir a couple of times to mix it with all the other ingredients.

Adding the calrose rice to the mixture.

Add the hot water.
Add salt and pepper, taste for salt.
Let it boil for 1 minute then cover and lower the heat to the lowest.

Let it cook for about 25 minutes then check if done. Enjoy with some seafood!

Egyptian seafood dinner