Indian Ghee Rice Food

HOW TO MAKE GHEE (GHEE RECIPE)

Steps:

• Add butter to a heavy bottom deep pot and begin to melt on a medium flame.
• Butter melts and turns frothy. Then lower the flame & simmer until all of the froth evaporates. I usually leave a ladle/spoon in the pot as this prevents overflowing.
• Next butter will begin to bubble a lot. Stir it occasionally & continue to cook on a low heat.
• Soon the butter changes its color from yellow to clear golden. At this stage milk solids will settle at the bottom & begin to turn slightly light golden/brown. Also bubbles will reduce significantly indicating it is done.
• Turn off the stove and set the pot aside to cool down. This step is important to avoid overcooking or burning it.
• Ghee will continue to cook on its own for another 1 to 2 mins since the pot is hot. By then the ghee is perfectly done - clear, golden in color and all the milk solids browned but not burnt.
• When the temperature comes down, place a strainer over a clean jar and filter it. Press down the brown solids with a spoon.
• Cool the ghee completely and cover it with a tight lid. Store at room temperature in a dry cabinet for upto 3 months or refrigerate for an year. Ghee will solidify in a few hours or days depending on the temperature.
• Press SAUTE button (normal) on the Instant pot and add the butter to the inner steel pot.
• Butter will melt and turn frothy. Press the saute button twice again to adjust from normal to less.
• After a few minutes, the butter changes its color from yellow to clear golden. The milk solids settle down at the bottom.
• Press the CANCEL button. If the milk solids turn to light brown then remove the steel insert from the Instant pot. If the solids are still white in color you may leave the pot in. Ghee will continue to cook there and brown the milk solids.
• Let it cool down a bit. Clean and prepare air tight jars to transfer your ghee.
• Strain/ filter the ghee to a clean air tight jar. I strain it to several small jars so they remain fresh longer. Seal the jars well and store in a cool and dry place in your pantry.

RICE KHEER

Steps:

• Rinse the rice until water turns clear. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes are up, drain the rice using a colander and set aside.
• Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Then add 1 teaspoon of ghee to it and then add the soaked & drained rice. Also add 3-4 crushed green cardamom pods.
• Toss the rice with the ghee and cardamom for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until aromatic.
• Then add the milk to the pan and stir well. Set heat to medium-high.
• Let the milk come to a boil, this will take around 10-12 minutes. Stir in between so that milk doesn't stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• Once the milk has come to a boil, lower the heat to low and let the kheer cook for around 25 minutes on low heat. Stir every 2 minutes or so. The milk will reduce considerably after 25 minutes and the kheer would look thick and the rice will be completely cooked. If you want super thick kheer, cook for 15 more minutes at this point.
• Add in the sugar and mix. Also add in the nuts.
• Cook the kheer for 5 more minutes after adding the sugar and nuts. The sugar should dissolve completely. Don't worry if your kheer doesn't look very thick at this point. It will continue to thicken as it cools down.
• Remove pan from heat. Stir in rose water (if using). Garnish with more nuts and serve kheer warm or chilled. I love mine chilled and serve it after chilling it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.

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.

HOW TO MAKE GHEE | HOMEMADE GHEE RECIPE

Steps:

• Take a large, heavy-bottomed pot or pan. Chop butter roughly and place in the pan covering the entire surface of pan evenly.
• Place pan on stovetop and heat on medium-low to medium heat. The butter will begin to melt.
• Stir in intervals when butter begins to melt to assist the larger pieces. When all the butter has melted, reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer gently.
• About a minute or so after all the butter is melted, you will hear sounds from the bottom of the pan and see milk solids appearing on the surface.
• The entire surface will be covered with milk solids. Continue to simmer.
• You will see the color change gradually to a from a buttery, pale yellow to light golden with the butter bubbling and shimmering. Continue to stir occasionally.
• After some time, the milk solids will begin to settle at the bottom and the surface will start to look clearer.
• Continue to simmer for a couple of minutes after all the milk solids have settled.
• When you see medium to large sized bubbles forming on the top and the entire mixture is bubbling, you are almost done! Continue to simmer for a 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Remove from heat and place the pan on the countertop. You will see a layer of fine tiny bubbles on the top. Don't worry - these bubbles go away as the ghee gradually cools.
• The milk solids will begin to caramelize and turn golden from the residual heat, and you will see the color of ghee become darker.
• Wait until all the simmering stops and you see the browned bits of milk solids at the bottom.
• While the ghee is still hot, pour it through the strainer or cheese cloth placed on top of a glass jar.
• If your pan isn't very heavy, simply lift it and pour the ghee. I used a heavy ceramic coated cast iron pan, so using a ladle made this process easier.
• Use ghee as required. I recommend pulling out enough ghee for a week or so worth of cooking and keeping it in a small container in the kitchen.
• Store the rest in a cool, dark spot in the pantry for best storage. If stored well, ghee can last up to one year at room temperature.

RASAM AND GHEE RICE

Steps:

• For the rasam: Combine the tomatoes and 2 quarts water in a 3- to 4-quart pot. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then add the Rasam Podi, tamarind paste, serrano, turmeric and salt to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the tomatoes to a fine sieve set over a bowl and use the tongs to squeeze out all of the liquid from the tomatoes. Add the tomato juice to the pot. Bring to a boil again and boil for about 30 seconds.
• In a small cast-iron skillet, combine the ghee, cilantro, curry leaves and mustard seeds and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mustard seeds start to pop. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice. Add a couple ladles of the broth to the skillet to cool the mixture, and then add all of it to the broth.
• For the ghee rice: Put the rice in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Place in a medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to the pot to cover the rice by about 1/2 inch. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer, covered, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, until the water is absorbed and the rice fluffs easily, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice and add the ghee, peanuts, cilantro stems and peppercorns. Mix thoroughly and add salt to taste. Serve with the rasam.
• Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns each separately in a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat until they're aromatic and begin to pop, 15 to 45 seconds each depending on the spice and the heat of the skillet. Combine the spices in a medium bowl as they are toasted. In the same hot skillet, combine the chiles, curry leaves and the lentils. Cook, stirring, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour into the bowl with the spices. Working in batches, grind the mixture in a spice grinder. Mix together carefully. Store in a dry clean jar for 1 to 2 months.

GHEE RICE RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash 1 cup rice until the water runs clear. Soak it for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the rice soaks, slice 1 medium onion thinly & slit 1 green chilies.
• Heat a pressure cooker or a pot with 2 tablespoons of ghee. Fry 14 cashews till lightly golden, add 14 raisins and stir up. When they turn plump set them aside in a plate.
• To the same pan, add onions. You can also skip onions from the recipe. Fry them till golden, about to caramelize but not burnt. These are the fried onions / barista. These onions are used for garnishing and they add flavor to the rice.
• Add all the whole spices to the pan & fry for a min until aromatic.
• Add green chilies, drained rice & fry on a medium flame for about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir to prevent burning .
• Pour 1¾ cups water and salt as needed. You may need to add more or less water depending on the rice.
• Taste the water and check the salt. If needed add more. Ideally the water has to be slightly salty.
• If making in a pressure cooker, cook on a medium heat until you hear 1 whistle. If making in pot, cover and cook on a very low flame until the rice is cooked fully but not mushy.
• When the pressure releases, Open the lid and gently fluff up the rice with a fork.
• Transfer ghee rice to a serving bowl or plate. Garnish with raisins, cashews, fried onions and coriander leaves.
• Serve ghee rice with any gravy like kurma, curry or even with egg roast. You can also eat it plain.
• Press the SAUTE button & add ghee to the inner steel pot of the Instant pot.
• When the ghee melts, add the cashews & saute until they turn light golden.
• Then add in the raisins and stir until they plum up. Remove the cashews and raisins to a small plate.
• Stir in the onion slices to the ghee and spread them in a single layer.
• Next stir them every now and then until they turn golden to light brown & aromatic. If the pot is too hot, you can switch the saute to low by pressing (saute button again). Drain the ghee well and remove to the same plate.
• Now add in all the whole spices, followed by the green chilli and drained rice.
• Saute for 30 to 60 seconds & press CANCEL button.
• Pour water and add salt. Deglaze by scrubbing the bottom of the steel pot with a spatula. Taste the water and add more salt if needed.
• Secure the instant pot with the lid. Position the steam release handle/ vent to sealing.
• Press the PRESSURE COOK button (or manual on older IPs) and set the timer to 5 mins.
• When the IP beeps, wait for natural pressure release for 2 to 3 mins. For softer rice, you can wait upto 5 mins. Then release the rest manually by moving the steam release handle from sealing to venting.
• Cool down a bit and then garnish ghee rice with fried onions, raisins and cashews.

INDIAN RICE

Steps:

• Cook onions and almonds in butter until golden. Add raisins and heat through until they puff. Add mixture to rice; mix lightly. Serve with curry.

PILAU RICE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the cardamom and cinnamon until the spices' aromas are released, which should take about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion and gently fry for around 5 minutes, or until it has softened and has become translucent.
• Add the garlic and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
• Tip in the rice, cumin, turmeric, cloves and bay leaves.
• Stir vigorously then pour in the water.
• Turn up the heat, give it another stir then wait for a slow simmering point to be reached.
• Once it slowly simmers, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
• Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve immediately with your favourite curry. Enjoy!