1,000 Indian Recipes (276 page)

All over India, and especially in the southern parts, this method of making rice is probably the first thing taught to anyone who is ready to cook, male or female. Serve it with curries, or use as a base to make stir-fried dishes or
biryanis
. (You can even use the drained water to starch clothes—something done in most Indian homes.)

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

5 to 6 cups water

1.
Put the rice and the water in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil until the rice is I cooked, about 7 minutes. (There will be plenty of water in the pot even after the rice is ready.) Drain the rice through a large fine-mesh strainer and discard the water, or use it as a base for soups, stews, or curries.

2.
Return the drained rice to the pot, cover the pot with a small, clean kitchen towel (making sure that the overhang is 1 inch or less, or it may burn on the stove), then place the lid of the pot back on, over the towel.

3.
Return the pot to the stove and cook on the lowest heat setting, heat until each grain of rice is fluffy and separate, 10 to 15 minutes. Or, place a griddle (or tava) on low heat and set the pot of rice on it. (Make sure the towel is well above the flame.) The towel absorbs all the excess moisture and the rice comes out perfectly cooked, with each grain separate. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, fluff lightly with a fork, and serve.

Variation:
To salt the rice and finish cooking it in the oven, bring lightly salted water to a rolling boil, then add the rice. Lower the heat, simmer about 7 minutes, then drain and transfer to an oven-safe serving dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook in a preheated 400°F oven about 15 minutes.

Steamed Basmati Rice (Absorption Method)

Ooblae Chaval

Makes 4 to 6 servings, or about 4 cups

This is another basic and popular way of making rice. With no additional flavors and seasonings, the celebrated flavors of
basmati
rice truly shine through—as does its nutrition content, because the nutrients are usually lost when the water is drained away, but here they are absorbed into the rice. It is important to soak the rice before cooking with this method to ensure fluffy, individuated grains.

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2
¹
⁄
₃
cups water

Cilantro sprig, for garnish (optional)

1.
In a medium bowl, soak the rice in the water, about 30 minutes.

2.
Put the rice and the water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice at all. Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, fluff lightly with a fork, and serve with a sprig of cilantro, if you like.

Steamed Turmeric and Red Peppercorn Basmati Rice

Haldi kae Ooblae Chaval

Makes 4 to 6 servings, or 4 cups

Not only is this dish eye-catching with its brilliant yellow color and flecks of red, it also makes for a great conversation piece because not many people think of adding something as simple as turmeric and peppercorns (both Indian culinary contributions to the world) to steamed rice.

Besides color, this dish offers many health benefits—turmeric is considered a natural antiseptic and overall digestive stimulant.

1
¹
⁄
₄
cups basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2
¹
⁄
₃
cups water

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon red or black peppercorns

5 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon dried mint leaves (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh)

1.
In a medium bowl, soak the rice in the water, about 30 minutes.

2.
Put the rice with the water it was soaking in, along with all the other ingredients (except the mint) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with the mint leaves, and serve.

Steamed Basmati Rice with Dry-Roasted Spices

Bhunae Masalae ke Ooblae Chaval

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Dry-roasting allows the spices to release their essential oils and gives them a smoky aroma that eventually is infused into each grain of rice. As a result, this speckled rice dish, made with no added fat, tastes a lot richer than it actually is.

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2
³
⁄
₄
cups water

1
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoons cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon saffron threads

5 to 7 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
In a medium bowl, soak the rice in the water, about 30 minutes. Drain, saving the water in a bowl.

2.
Put the cumin, black pepper, saffron, and cardamom pods in a medium saucepan and roast, stirring and shaking the pan, over medium-high heat until they are a few shades darker and highly fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the drained rice and continue to roast another 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan or turning the rice with a wooden spoon very carefully (washed rice tends to break easily).

3.
Add the reserved rice-water and the salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until the rice is done, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, gently mix in the cilantro, and serve.

Steamed Green Basmati Rice

Harae Ooblae Chaval

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Whenever my mother got tired of serving plain steamed rice, she puréed some of her favorite seasonal greens (very often fresh fenugreek leaves) and tossed them into the rice. That rice looked lovely, tasted different, and enabled her to feed us a taste of the season. Nowadays, most greens are available year-round and you don't have to wait for the seasons to enjoy this dish.