Indian Style Basmati Rice Food

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.

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!

SOUTH INDIAN-STYLE YELLOW RICE

Steps:

• Wash the rice in cold water until the water is no longer cloudy, 3 or 4 times, then drain. This step is important as it removes the starch from the rice and prevents it from clumping up.
• Heat the stock or water in a heavy pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the drained rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Do not disturb the rice or take a peek while it's in the middle of cooking. Turn off the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee or oil in a pan large enough to fit the rice over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and let sizzle until you hear popping sounds, about 30 seconds. Add the nuts and cook until golden brown and crunchy, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the urad dal, asafetida, crushed red chiles and curry leaves. Be careful as the curry leaves might sputter. Cook until the urad dal turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Gently mix in the cooked rice.
• Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.

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.

FRAGRANT EAST INDIAN BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• TOAST 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds over medium heat in a pot you wish to cook your rice in, until seeds become aromatic and lightly pop.
• ADD 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 4 whole green cardamom pods or 3/8 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/8 cup frozen peas (optional). NOTE: ADD the curry powder or turmeric from the CREATIVE ADDITIONS FOR YELLOW RICE; ADD up to 4 of the remaining suggested ingredients now as well, if desired.
• RAISE heat to high.
• BRING to a boil.
• ADD 1 cup basmati rice.
• COVER.
• BOIL 1 1/2 minutes.
• REDUCE heat to lowest setting for 40-45 minutes.
• REMOVE cardamom pods and cinnamon stick if desired; FLUFF rice with a fork before serving.
• SERVE with your favorite Indian entree and enjoy!

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.)