Thai Blue Rice Recipe Using Thai Blue Butterfly Pea Flowers

This is my easy and simple Thai Blue Rice recipe. Thai Blue Rice is a visually stunning and naturally dyed rice dish made using the vibrant petals of the Thai Blue Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea). These flowers are native to Southeast Asia and are prized for their striking blue pigment and natural color-changing properties. When steeped in water, the flowers release a deep, rich blue hue that can be used to cook rice, infusing it with both color and subtle earthy undertones.

I grow Thai double blue butterfly pea flowers in my garden because it is not only just a gorgeous plant, but there are so many uses for the flowers. They have an intense blue color attributed to high amounts of antioxidants. In fact, it is the same antioxidants that give blueberries their deep blue color. I find any excuse to cook with these flowers, make teas, or use as an all natural food dye.  

Check out the video version of this recipe on my YouTube channel:

Ingredients

4.5 cups of boiling water

3 cups of Jasmine rice - or whatever white rice you prefer

1 cup of dried Thai blue butterfly pea flowers. 

You can find seeds and sometimes plants for Thai Double Blue Butterfly pea on my website, but if you dont grow it you can find dried flowers on Amazon HERE.

Directions

1. Steep the Flowers:

   • Bring 4.5 cups of water to a boil (use an electric kettle or stovetop).
   • Pour the boiling water over 1 cup of dried Thai blue butterfly pea flowers.
   • Let the flowers steep for about 1 hour until the water turns a deep, intense blue.

2. Strain the Liquid:

   • Remove the flowers from the water by straining them out.
   • Reserve the blue liquid to use as the cooking liquid for your rice.

3. Prepare the Rice:

   • Use the blue water instead of regular water to cook your rice.
   • For a rice cooker: Follow your normal cooking instructions, substituting regular water for the blue water.
   • For stovetop cooking (traditional method):
     • Pour the blue water into a non-stick pot and bring it to a boil.
     • Add your rinsed rice and stir once.
     • Once the water starts boiling again, reduce the heat to the lowest setting. 
     • Cover the pot with a lid and let the rice steam for 10 minutes (rice cooks via steam, not boiling).
     • After 10 minutes, uncover and gently stir the rice to fluff it. Avoid over-stirring to prevent mushiness.
     • Cover again and let it steam for another 10-15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.

The cooked rice should have a gorgeous vibrant blue color. I like to use Thai blue rice as a side to colorful main dishes like my Thai Soldier Long Bean & Shrimp Panang curry pictured below. You can find that recipe HERE.