The Best Basmati Rice Recipe Ever
A Fantastic Recipe which Guarantees Perfectly Fluffy Rice Every Time
Oct 6, 2009
Cooking basmati rice should be simple in theory, but on too many occasions home cooked rice bears very little resemblance to the perfectly cooked, dry fluffy grains which are consistently served up in Asian restaurants.
Even carefully following the cooking instructions on packets is no guarantee that the end result is going to come close to achieving a satisfactory outcome. Rice might only be an accompaniment to a main dish, but if it’s badly cooked it will spoil the whole meal and can put people completely off any dishes which involve rice. For anyone with a family this could spell disaster. Any number of dishes might have to be relegated from the weekly menu because of an unfortunate serving of an overcooked horrible mushy mess, or a jaw crunching undercooked one.
However, this variation on English TV chef, Jamie Oliver’s foolproof method of preparing rice is a god send for any cook who’s experienced a running battle with unruly grains.
It is also simplicity itself and works perfectly with just about any brand of basmati rice.
Ingredients for Basic Perfect Basmati Rice
- 175g basmati rice
- 750ml water
For two people
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Preparation for Basic Perfect Basmati Rice
- Rinse the rice in fresh cold water until the water runs clear.
- Put 750ml of water in a pan and bring to the boil.
- Add the rice and simmer rapidly, uncovered for 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to stop the rice from sticking.
- After 8 minutes drain the rice in a colander or sieve.
- Pour a half inch of boiling water (from a kettle) into the pan and place the sieve on the pan, ensuring that it isn’t in contact with the water (this would result in soggy bottomed rice).
- Cover the pan and rice with aluminium foil, return to the heat and simmer for 10 minutes after which time, hey presto – perfect basmati rice.
The second part of the process is basically a steaming process which is why the end result is perfectly cooked and not in the slightest bit wet.
Cook’s Tip: Basic basmati rice is the perfect accompaniment for dishes like chilli con carne and any Asian curry dishes like Thai green curry. However, there are a couple of very easy ways to perk it up even more and give it an attractive makeover.
At the stage the rice is added to the pan of boiling water add 4 cloves and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric. The cloves lend the rice a lovely aromatic flavour whilst the turmeric gives white basmati a glistening vibrant yellow appearance which compliments dishes such as saffron and ginger chicken.
 |
 |
