Rice And Yogurt Recipes

YOGURT RICE

Steps:

• Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat the ghee in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the broken chile pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the black mustard seeds, and cook until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat, and stir in the turmeric, curry leaves, and asafoetida powder.
• Whisk the milk, yogurt, and spice ghee together in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in the rice until well mixed. Season to taste with salt, then allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

STUCK-POT RICE WITH YOGURT AND SPICES

Steps:

• Fill a medium pot with lightly salted water, and bring to boil. Stir in rice, return to boil and lower heat so water is at a lively simmer. Cook undisturbed 5 minutes; drain, and set aside. Rice will be only partly done. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, the yogurt, lime juice and curry powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add rice, and toss gently to coat with yogurt mixture.
• Put 2 remaining tablespoons oil in a large heavy-bottom pot with tight-fitting lid, and turn heat to medium-high. Add rice mixture, pressing it down in pan with fork. Wrap clean kitchen towel around lid of pot so it completely covers inside of lid; gather corners on top so they do not fall anywhere near stove. Place lid on pot, sealing tightly. Mixture will sizzle immediately.
• When rice and spices are fragrant - in 3 to 5 minutes - turn heat down very low. Cook undisturbed about 30 minutes; rice should smell toasty but not burned. Remove from heat, and let sit 5 minutes more.
• Carefully remove lid and cloth, and turn pot upside down over a platter. If rice comes out in a single crust, terrific. If not, use a spatula to scrape crisp pieces out of pan and onto remaining rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

YOGURT RICE

Steps:

• Bring water to boil in saucepan and add rice. Return to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• While rice is cooking, toast mustard seeds and dal in skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and oil until mustard seeds begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Fluff rice with fork and stir in mustard seeds, dal, chile, ginger and cucumber.
• Combine yogurt, milk and salt. Lightly stir into rice with fork.
• Sprinkle with cilantro.

HASHWEH (SPICED RICE AND MEAT WITH YOGURT)

Steps:

• Make the rice: Mix together allspice, cinnamon, black pepper and nutmeg and set aside. Rinse rice in a colander until the water runs almost clear, then soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain and let stand for 15 minutes.
• While rice soaks and drains, heat butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or nonstick pot over medium-high. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add half of the spice mixture and fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add meat and cook, breaking the meat up finely with a wooden spoon, until any released water evaporates and the meat is nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. (It is important for the meat to be in small even-size pieces.)
• Add drained rice to the pot, along with remaining spices, and stir to combine and coat with the oil. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning: the stock should be saltier than you would like your finished dish to be, so add more salt to your liking, but do so generously.
• Once the mixture boils, lower the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pot and cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated but the rice is still easy to stir with a spoon and not sticking to the bottom, 8 to 12 minutes. Give the rice a final mix, turn off the heat, then wrap a clean tea towel or paper towels around the lid and cover again. (The towel will absorb excess moisture.) Let sit to steam in the residual heat for 20 minutes.
• While the rice cooks, prepare the topping: Place a small skillet over medium-high and pour in enough oil to thinly coat the bottom (1 to 2 tablespoons). Add pine nuts and stir to coat evenly with the oil. Reduce heat to heat to low and continue to stir until nuts are a light golden color, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain nuts on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with slivered almonds.
• While the rice rests, make the yogurt: Coarsely grate the cucumber and place in a colander in the sink. Sprinkle with salt, mix and set aside for 10 minutes to allow juices to drain. Give the cucumbers one final mix, pressing on them with the back of a spoon to ensure any excess liquid drains. Transfer to a bowl and add the yogurt, garlic and lemon juice and season with salt. Whisk until well combined, taste and add more salt if you'd like.
• Fluff rice with a large fork, transfer to a serving platter and top with toasted nuts. Serve, passing the yogurt around for each person to place a dollop over their rice.

CURRIED RICE WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Stir together coconut and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and let soak at room temperature until all of water is absorbed, about 1 hour.
• Wash rice in several changes of cold water until water runs clear, then drain well in a sieve. Bring rice and 2 1/4 cups water to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, then keep covered.
• While rice is cooking, simmer cucumber, green chile, chile powder, turmeric, and remaining 1/2 cup water in wok, uncovered, stirring frequently, until liquid is evaporated and mixture is dry, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cumin and reconstituted coconut, stirring until combined well, and reduce heat to moderately low. Add yogurt and cook, stirring constantly, until just heated through. (Do not let boil.)
• Immediately fold rice and yogurt mixture together gently in a large bowl until combined well, being careful not to break rice, then transfer to a shallow serving dish.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add mustard seeds and cook until they make popping sounds, about 15 seconds. Add fenugreek and cook, stirring, until a shade darker, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add curry leaves (oil will splatter) and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add chile and cook, stirring, until chile turns a shade darker, about 30 seconds.
• Pour hot oil mixture evenly over rice and serve immediately.