Brown Basmati With Coconut Almonds And Currants Food

COCONUT RICE

Steps:

• Saute 2 tablespoons minced ginger in a saucepan with butter. Add 1 cup rinsed basmati rice, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes off the heat; fluff with a fork. Garnish with cilantro and cashews.

BROWN BASMATI WITH COCONUT, ALMONDS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chicken stock and coconut milk together, and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a heavy ovenproof 2-quart casserole or saucepan with a lid. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook over low heat until onion is transparent.
• Stir in the rice, curry powder, cayenne pepper, bay leaves and currants, and mix. Add chicken stock and coconut milk, bring to a boil and stir. Taste liquid, and add more salt if necessary. Cover, and place in oven for about 45 minutes, until rice is just tender and liquid has been absorbed. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
• While rice is baking, heat remaining butter or oil in a skillet, add almonds and coconut and saute, stirring constantly, until they are toasted. Remove from heat, and keep stirring until mixture stops sizzling.
• Fold almonds and coconut into the rice. and serve.

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.

BROWN BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Cook rice in salty water for about 45 minutes until al dente. Drain and season with pepper before serving.

COCONUT BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, add water; bring to a boil.
• Add the rice and remaining ingredients; stir to combine.
• Return to a boil.
• Stir, cover; reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon stick and dried chile.
• Stir to fluff the rice and stir.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Soften saffron in hot water (2 tablespoons) in a small bowl.
• Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry almonds, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Fry onion in oil remaining in pot, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer half of onion to a bowl.
• Add rice to onion in pot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add water (4 1/2 cups), saffron mixture, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Let rice stand, covered, off heat 5 minutes.
• While rice stands, stir almonds and currants into bowl with onion.
• Fluff rice with a fork and serve with almond mixture spooned on top.

SPICED BASMATI RICE WITH FRUIT AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and turmeric and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes, or until the rice is shiny.
• Raise the heat and add the water, coconut milk and salt. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and cover the saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes; then stir in the raisins and apricots. Cover again and cook, without lifting the lid, for 10 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and, without lifting the lid, allow the rice to steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the pine nuts. Remove the whole spices if you wish before serving.

BASMATI RICE SALAD WITH CURRANTS AND NUTS

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups water and rice in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Drain if necessary. Transfer rice to large bowl. Fluff with fork. Cool. Mix in green onions, celery, parsley, pecans, currants and walnuts.
• Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and cumin in small bowl to blend. Pour over rice salad; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper 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.