By Jehan Yusoof | Updated September 06, 2026 | Tested and refined over the years, right here in my kitchen in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan yellow rice, or “kaha bath”, is cooked in ghee, cinnamon, cardamom, pandan and turmeric powder.
If you are cooking this Sri Lankan rice for the first time, you are in the right place to learn it. I will guide you through the exact method I use, with step-by-step details.

Readers who’ve tried this recipe keep coming back to it for family meals and special occasions. You’ll find their notes in the comments below.

New to cooking Sri Lankan rice dishes? Start with learning how to cook rice on the stove. I cover the water ratios, mistakes to avoid and more.

Why this Sri Lankan rice recipe is aromatic and works.

• Every ingredient in this yellow rice serves a purpose and is intentional.
• The order of adding the aromatics is important. Frying the whole spices and aromatics and then adding the rice, coating it with ghee, allows the raw rice to absorb and keeps the rice separate and fluffy.
• The perfectly caramelised onions give a contrasting flavour to the yellow rice.

Regional roots and memories of cooking “kaha bath”(yellow rice).

A platter of yellow rice has always been a festive food. We serve it at weddings, New Year celebrations, birthdays and family get-togethers.
The use of turmeric powder gives the rice its natural colour and earthy taste. The pandan leaf brings the original aroma that Sri Lankan and Asian food have in common.

You’ll love the fragrance that takes over the house as you fry the spices.
It should take you back to your mom’s kitchen, reminding you of forgotten festivities.
Once you make this Sri Lankan yellow rice recipe, you’ll experience how a plain bowl of rice changes into a dish worthy of any occasion.

Ingredients to cook yellow rice.

• Ghee. Substitute with any light oil available to you.
• Onions. Use large red onions, also referred to as”Bombay onions” Slice them thin. The onions are used both for tempering and deep frying as a garnish.
• Garlic minced
• Pandan Leaf. No substitutes, but you can use bay leaves.
• A sprig of curry leaves for tempering and garnish. No substitutes. Leave out if it is not available to you.
• Cinnamon stick
• Cloves
• Cardamom
• Turmeric powder
• Medium-grain rice(keeri samba). Substitute with good quality Basmati rice.
• Water to cook the rice
• Salt to season
• To garnish(optional).
  • Cashews
  • Golden raisins
  • Extra curry leaves and sliced onions.
• To fry the onions
  • More ghee. Substitute with coconut oil, or any light oil available to you.

What you will need in the kitchen.

• Chopping board and knife to cut the onions, etc.
• A large bowl or pan to wash the rice.
• Spoon and fork to use on the rice while cooking.
• A small frying pan to fry the onions.
• A large pan with a lid to cook the rice.

How to cook traditional yellow rice

Step 1:Prep work before cooking the yellow rice.

• Have all the spices ready.
• Slice the onions and mince the garlic.
• Measure the correct amount of water to cook the rice(ratio given above in recipe notes).

Step 2: Wash the rice.

Wash until the water runs clear; drain and set aside.

Step 3: Fry the aromatics and whole spices.

Set a large cooking pan over low-medium fire and pour in the oil(substitute with ghee or butter).
Take a handful of the onions, sliced, and garlic, then add them to the oil.
Cook for a minute, then add pandan strips, curry leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamoms.
Cook for 2 minutes until you smell the aroma of the spices.
This should take about 2-3 minutes.
Move the ingredients frequently to avoid burning.
Once you notice the onions turning golden in colour, add the turmeric powder.
Stir the ingredients and cook for 30 seconds.

Step 4: Cooking the yellow rice.

Add the washed and drained rice into the cooking pan.

Over low-medium heat, fry the rice with the spices for 60 seconds.
You can add 1 tablespoon of oil to ease the frying.

Pour in the water(4 cups, the recommended amount of water for 2 cups of rice).
Season with salt.

Cook the rice over a low-medium fire until the water evaporates.
Once the water evaporates and the rice is cooked through, remove the pot of rice from the stove.
Use a fork to fluff the rice.

Step 5: Frying the onions for the yellow rice.

Place a small frying pan over a low-medium fire and pour in the oil.
Let the oil heat for 30 seconds and then add the sliced onions.
Let the onions fry until they are golden brown; this should take 7 minutes, depending on the heat used.
Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the fried onions and place them on kitchen paper towels to drain the excess oil.
If you are garnishing the yellow rice with cashews and raisins, curry leaves, fry them as well not more than 30 seconds, then transfer them to drain the excess oil.
Transfer the rice to a large platter, garnish with the fried onions, followed by cashews and raisins.
Serve warm.

Common mistakes to avoid while cooking yellow rice.

• Use keeri samba, Basmati or any type of long-grain rice. Avoid using jasmine rice, which turns sticky once cooked.
• Use the correct amount of water for the rice. Use the recommended ratio. Use 1 part rice to 2 parts water, 2 cups of rice to 4 cups of water, etc.
• While the rice cooks, use a fork to fluff the rice; this prevents the rice from breaking.
• Avoid constantly stirring the rice as it cooks.
• Keep an eye on the onions as they fry. They burn quickly.

What to serve with a yellow rice menu.

Here are a few side dishes that would make it easy to put together a Sri Lankan rice and curry menu.
You can search the blog for more options to pair with this yellow rice recipe.

• Meat dishes that go well with yellow rice.
  • Sri Lankan chicken curry.
  • Kalupol chicken curry.
  • My grandmother’s slow-cooked beef curry.
  • Beef korma.
  • Beef rendang.Chicken rendang.
  • Mild white fish curry(thalapath)fish curry.
  • Sri Lankan devilled prawns. or devilled chicken
• Vegetarian side dishes.
  • Brinjal pahi
  • Wambatu(egg plant)moju
  • Sri Lankan potato curry
  • Sri Lankan Malay pickle.
  • Sweet mango curry.
  • Spicy pineapple curry | Sri Lankan, Sinhalese style. or Sri Lankan-mildly spiced Pineapple curry.
• Salads and relishes.
  • Pineapple chutney
  • Pineapple salsa.
  • Cucumber salad.

Storage, freezing and reheating guide.

• Fridge.
  • Let the rice cool and store it in a container. Use within 2 days
    • Freezer: Once cooled, portion into airtight containers and freeze. Use within 5 days for the best texture.
• Freezer.
  • Portion the rice before freezing if the rice quantity is more than a single or double serving.
  • Once the rice is cool, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze. Use within 5 days.
• Reheating.
  • Remove the rice from the freezer and let it reach room temperature. This might take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Microwave or cook over low heat to warm the rice. Sprinkle a little water before heating the rice.
• Avoid food waste.
  • Leftover yellow rice can be made into fried rice.

More rice recipes to try

How to cook rice on the stove.
Saudi Chicken Kabsa.
Mandi rice.
Hyderabadi chicken biryani.
Chicken fried rice.
Egg biryani.

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Sri Lankan Yellow Rice

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Sri Lankan yellow rice, or “kaha bath”, is cooked in ghee, cinnamon, cardamom, pandan and turmeric powder.

If you are cooking this Sri Lankan rice for the first time, you are in the right place to learn it. I will guide you through the exact method I use, with step-by-step details.

5.0 Stars (4 Reviews)

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Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
• To fry the onions
• To garnish(optional)

• 4 tablespoon ghee(substitute with oil or butter)
• 4 large onions sliced thin (used for both cooking and frying as garnish)
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic(about 5 cloves crushed or minced)
• 5″ pandan cut into two(if you are unable to find pandan leaf then substitute with 2 bay leaves).
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves(about 14 leaves, used for tempering as well as fried garnishing).
• 2″ Cinnamon stick
• 4 Cloves
• 5 Cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups of medium grain rice(keeri samba, refer above for correct ratio for rice to water, you can also use Basmati rice)
• 4 cups of water
• Salt to season
• 1/2 to 1 cup of ghee or oil to fry the onions
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

Instructions

Prep work before making the yellow rice

• Have all the spices ready.
• Slice the onions and mince the garlic.
• Measure the correct amount of water to cook the rice(ratio given above in recipe notes).

How to cook the Sri Lankan yellow rice.

1. Wash the rice until clear water runs through; drain and set aside.
2. Set a large cooking pan over low-medium fire and pour in the oil(4 tablespoons; substitute with ghee or butter).

1. Take a handful of the onions, sliced(amount of 1 onion sliced), garlic(2 tbsp, about 5 cloves), and add to the oil.
2. Cook for a minute, then add pandan strips, curry leaves(1/2 of the curry leaves), cinnamon stick(2″ piece), cloves(4), cardamom(5).
3. Cook for 2 minutes until you smell the aroma of the spices. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Move the ingredients frequently to avoid burning.
4. Once you notice the onions turning golden in colour, add the turmeric powder(1 tsp).
5. Stir the ingredients and cook for 30 seconds.
6. Add the washed and drained rice into the cooking pan.
7. Over low-medium heat, fry the rice with the spices for 60 seconds. You can add 1 tablespoon of oil to ease the frying.
8. Pour in the water(4 cups, the recommended amount of water for 2 cups of rice). Season with salt.
9. Cook the rice over a low-medium fire until the water evaporates.
10. Once the water evaporates and the rice is cooked through, remove the pot of rice from the stove. Use a fork to fluff the rice.

How to fry the onions.

1. Place a small frying pan over low to medium fire and pour in the oil(1/2-1 cup).
2. Let the oil heat for 30 seconds and then add the sliced onions. Let the onions fry until they are golden brown, which should take 7 minutes, depending on the heat used.
3. Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the fried onions and place them on kitchen paper towels to drain excess oil.
4. If you are garnishing the yellow rice with cashews and raisins, fry them as well, not more than 30 seconds, then transfer them to drain the excess oil.
5. Transfer rice to a large platter, garnish with the fried onions, followed by cashews and raisins.
6. Serve warm.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 817Total Fat: 54gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 39gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 347mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 7gSugar: 15gProtein: 9g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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