Ginger Basmati Pilaf With Cumin And Scallions Recipes

JERK-STYLE CHICKEN WITH SPICED BASMATI RICE PILAF AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the chicken: put the butter, soy sauce, allspice, peppercorns, cinnamon, nutmeg, scallions, thyme, garlic, lime zest and juice, chile and ginger in a food processor and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary with a rubber spatula, until a paste forms.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet, rub with the marinade and generously sprinkle with salt. Let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat and brush lightly with canola oil.
• Place the chicken skin-side down on the grill pan. Reserve any leftover marinade on the baking sheet to use later. Cook until slightly charred and marked, flipping halfway through, 5 to 8 minutes total (the chicken will not be fully cooked, it will finish cooking in the oven).
• Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the chicken skin-side up on the rack, leaving ample space between each piece. Top the chicken with the reserved marinade from the baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the rice: Put the rice in a large bowl, cover with 4 cups cold water and soak for 30 minutes. Strain well, reserving the soaking liquid.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium. Add the butter and onions and cook until they are translucent but not brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin seeds, cayenne and cinnamon stick and toast for about 1 minute. Add the drained rice and stir gently until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the reserved soaking water and gently stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then season with salt and fluff with a fork. Remove the cinnamon stick.
• For the green beans: fill a large bowl with ice water and set a colander inside the ice bath. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous handful of salt. (The water should taste like sea water.) Add the green beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the colander ice bath.
• When ready to serve, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and toss in the beans to warm them gently. Top with the lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt.
• For the honey glaze: Simmer the honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it foams and turns golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and return the pan to the stove. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more to allow the vinegar and honey to cook together. Season with salt and set aside.
• Place a large spoonful of rice on each plate and arrange the chicken and green beans around each portion. Drizzle the chicken with the honey glaze.

BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Cook the butter and onions over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and toss until all of the grains are coated with the butter. Add the water and salt, cover and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the scallions and parsley, fluff with a fork, and serve.

GINGER BASMATI PILAF WITH CUMIN AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is clear, then drain well in a sieve.
• Cook white and pale green scallions and ginger in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until scallions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add scallion greens (do not stir), then let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork, stirring in scallion greens.

SPICED BASMATI RICE AND SWEET CORN PILAF

Steps:

• Put rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Swish with fingers, then pour off water. Repeat 2 or 3 times, until water runs clear. Cover again with cold water and soak 20 minutes, then drain.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter or ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, cumin, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom, and stir to coat. Let sizzle a bit, then add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, the rice and the corn, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute. Add raisins and 2 cups broth or water and bring to brisk simmer. Taste cooking liquid for salt and adjust if necessary.
• Cover with tight-fitting lid, turn heat to low and let cook 15 minutes. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes off heat. Fluff rice and transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro, scallions and cashews, if desired. Serve with yogurt raita.

CHICKEN, EDAMAME & GINGER PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then add the onion, ginger and chilli, along with some seasoning. Cook for 5 mins, then add the chicken and rice. Cook for 2 mins more, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 8-10 mins until the rice is just cooked. During the final 3 mins of cooking, add the edamame beans. Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if you like.

ONE-POT CHICKEN AND RICE WITH GINGER AND CUMIN

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add half the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook, turning halfway, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Add butter, shallots and remaining oil and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and cardamom (if using), and stir until very fragrant, 2 minutes.
• Add rice and raisins, season well with salt and pepper and stir to coat, 30 seconds. Add broth, scraping bottom of pot to remove any browned bits.
• Nestle chicken with any accumulated juices into the mixture and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with carrots, then cover and turn off heat. Let carrots steam for 5 minutes.
• Add cilantro and fluff rice with a fork. Divide among bowls and serve with hot sauce and yogurt, if desired.

GINGER-MINT PILAF WITH POTATOES AND ROASTED CUMIN SEEDS

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, soak the rice in the water, about 30 minutes.2. Put the cumin seeds in a small skillet and roast, shaking the skillet, over medium heat until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 1 minute. Then coarsely crush the seeds with the back of a spoon and reserve.3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion over medium heat until brown, about 7 minutes. Add the potato, ginger, half the mint, and the green chili pepper and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.4. Add the rice with the water it was soaking in, and 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, sprinkle the roasted cumin and the remaining mint leaves on top, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.