Aromatic Basmati Rice With Apricots And Cashews Recipes

RICE WITH PARSLEY, ALMONDS, AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Toss almonds with oil on a small rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool, then chop.
• Meanwhile, rinse rice in several changes of water until water runs clear. Bring rice, lemon zest, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; season with salt. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer until rice is tender, 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and scatter apricots over rice. Cover; let sit 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, then mix in almonds, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Put the apricots and lemon zest in the 2 cups of cold water. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garam masala, and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water along with the apricots, lemon zest, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, wrap a clean dish towel around the saucepan lid, and cover saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove lid and fluff with a fork. Mound the pilaf on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, tear the mint over, and top with the nuts.
• Game Plan: Toast the nuts while the rice cooks.

BASMATI RICE WITH FRIED CASHEWS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Toast 3/4 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds in 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup rinsed basmati rice and 1 cinnamon stick. Add 1 1/2 cups water and a big pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Pan-fry 1/4 cup each raisins and salted cashews in vegetable oil, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle over the rice and fluff together; season with salt.

FRUITY RICE WITH TOASTED CASHEWS

Steps:

• Whisk together the dressing ingredients, season, then set aside. Heat a small nonstick pan and put in the cashew nuts, stirring for a few mins, until starting to brown.
• Toss the rice, peppers, onion and most of the cashews together, then gently fold in the dressing. Chill for up to a day, then scatter with the remaining cashews before serving.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF WITH APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, ground saffron and cloves and saut&5 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat grains. Mix in chicken stock, dried apricots and currants. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Add slivered almonds and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

BASMATI RICE WITH CASHEWS, PEAS AND FRESH CORIANDER

Steps:

• In a small pan over a medium heat, bring the water to the boil; add the salt and turmeric; reduce to a simmer and cover tightly.
• In a larger - preferably heavy-based - pan, over a medium heat, heat the ghee or oil; add the yellow asafetida powder and chopped onion and stir to combine for 1-2 minutes, add the rice and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the rice becomes whitish in colour.
• Carefully pour the simmering water into the pan containing the rice, stir briefly, and if the peas you are using are fresh, add them now; increase the heat so that the water is again boiling, then reduce to a very low heat and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
• Simmer the rice for 15-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender and flaky; if you are using frozen peas, add them 5 minutes before the end of this stage of the cooking; stir through the rice quickly, and replace the lid as soon as you can.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave it covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the grains to firm up.
• Fold in the cashews, chopped baby spinach leaves and chopped coriander leaves, and stir well to combine the ingredients.
• Serve hot, garnished with the remaining herbs.
• NOTES: (i) I have suggested adding the chopped baby spinach leaves in step six, as baby spinach leaves wilt very quickly once they come into contact with something like hot rice. If you would like your spinach leaves not just wilted but cooked, add them when adding the frozen peas towards the end of the cooking time in step four. (ii) The Zaar Kitchen Dictionary suggests that either garlic powder or onion powder are suitable substitutions for yellow asafetida powder.