Indian Style Basmati Rice Recipes

BASMATI RICE - INDIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Place rice into a bowl with enough water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes. DO NOT skip this step, its very important.
• Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seed.
• Cook and stir for about a minute, then add the onion to the pot.
• Saute the onion until a rich golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Drain the water from the rice, and stir into the pot.
• Cook and stir the rice for a few minutes, until lightly toasted.
• Add salt and water to the pot, and bring to a boil.
• Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed.
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.
• Remove the pods, cloves, cinnamon stick before serving.

INDIAN STYLE BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Place rice into a bowl with enough water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seed. Cook and stir for about a minute, then add the onion to the pot. Saute the onion until a rich golden brown, about 10 minutes. Drain the water from the rice, and stir into the pot. Cook and stir the rice for a few minutes, until lightly toasted. Add salt and water to the pot, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.

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!

CHICKPEA CURRY (INDIAN STYLE) OVER BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• For the rice:.
• Rinse 1 1/2 cups basmati rice in cold water until the rinsing water is no longer cloudy.
• Add 1 tbsp butter to a skillet over medium heat.
• Add rice to skillet and toast in butter for a minute or two until fragrant.
• Add 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp turmeric and mix into rice.
• Next add 3 cups of water and cover.
• Bring to a slight boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit a minute or two.
• Fluff rice with fork, and keep covered until ready to serve.
• For the curry:.
• Saute onion and garlic over medium heat until softened and slighty browned.
• Add chili powder or chilli if using and cook for another minute or so.
• Next add the cumin, curry powder and corriander into the onions and garlic and cook for another minute or until fragrant.
• Add chickpeas and reserved liquid, stir to coat evenly with all the spices.
• Next add the lemon juice and tomato paste, cook on medium heat for about 5 more minutes until all is heated through.
• If pan seems try, please add a little water, 1/4 cup at a time.
• Place about 1/3 of the chickpea mixture into a blender and blend for about 20 seconds (here as well, please feel free to add a little water if mixture is too thick to blend).
• Add blended chickpeas back to the pan and cook for another 5 or so minutes.
• Finally, add the 2 tsp of peanut butter, until melted into the curry.
• Stir in 1/2 of the cilantro leaves.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve over the basmati rice and top with remaining cilantro leaves.

BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• When rice is cooked, stir in peas and cumin. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

SPECIAL INDIAN BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Measure out 1 mug white basmati rice. Put it a bowl and top up with cold water. Soak the rice for 10 mins, then wash THOROUGHLY in a sieve until water runs off clear
• Heat the oil in a small pan and add all the dry ingredients except for the turmeric. Gently fry on a low heat for 3 minutes.
• Add the turmeric, stir and then add the rice. Stir thoroughly.
• Add the water and bring to the boil. When boiling, put the lid on the pot and turn down the heat to simmering.
• Simmer the rice for 20 - 25 minutes and try and resist peeping into the pot. The steam building up under the lid is important for the cooking process of this rice.
• Lift the lid after 20 minutes to check if all the water has been absorbed. If so, remove the "bits", most of them will have collected at the top of the pan. If there's still any water left in the bottom of the pan, simmer for another few minutes.
• Stir through and enjoy alongside your favourite curry.
• You can also keep this rice hot in the oven (100 degrees celsius) for an hour or so which will make the rice more grainy and less sticky.
• (I will endeavour to add a photo the next time I make this rice.)