Basmati Rice With Whole Spices Recipes

SIMPLE BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• This is the most important part: Wash the rice! Place the rice in a large bowl and fill with fresh, room temperature water. Swirl your hand through the water and the rice; the water will go cloudy. That's all the starch that we're trying to remove in order to have individual grains of rice, not the sticky kind that's popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. (According to traditional Indian wisdom, this also makes the rice easier to digest because so much of the starch has been removed). Once you've swirled your hand around for a minute or so, pour off the water, taking care not to lose any rice. Repeat this washing process until the water runs clear. Usually, this takes 3 or 4 changes of water.
• Fill up the bowl 1 more time and let the rice soak for 30 minutes.
• At the end of 30 minutes, drain the rice. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
• Add the rice, stir, and wait until the water comes back to a full boil. When it does, turn the heat down as low as it can go, and then cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
• At the end of 15 minutes, cut the heat. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; you should see that every grain of rice has grown a little longer and is separate from its brothers and sisters. Well done!

BASMATI RICE WITH WHOLE SPICES

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, soak the rice in the water, about 30 minutes.2. Heat the oil (or ghee) in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds they should sizzle on contact with the hot oil. Lower the heat to medium, then quickly add all the remaining spices and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.3. Add the rice plus the water it was soaking in. Mix in the salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until the rice is done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with the cilantro, and serve. From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BASMATI RICE SEASONED WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium stove-to-oven pot melt butter over medium heat.
• Add chopped onions, garlic and garam masala and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until onions are softened.
• Add rice and stir until well coated.
• Add vegetable stock, salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and bake in the oven until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let stand, covered for 5 minutes before serving.

SPICED BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Bring the rice to the boil in 2 litres of water and allow to cook for 7 mins. Rinse the rice in a colander with cold water. Leave to drain for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, put half the butter and the oil into a saucepan. Bring to a medium heat and add the rest of the ingredients, except the rice and the saffron. Slowly fry until fragrant, then stir in the drained rice. Using the end of a wooden spoon to make holes in the rice to allow the steam to rise. Dot the remaining butter on top of the rice and scatter over the saffron. Put the lid back on the pan, and cover with a tea towel to seal the steaming process. Turn off the heat and leave to steam for 30 mins - this makes the rice fluffy and separated without drying it out.