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| Plain Savory Rice - Namkin Chawal
(North India) |
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Ingredients:
Serves: 4
21/2 cups long grain rice
4 cups hot water
2 teaspoons ghee
2 1/2 teaspoons salt |
Method:
Wash rice well and soak I hour in cold water. Drain in colander while
bringing water, ghee and salt to the boil in a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Add
rice, stir and bring quickly to the boil. Turn heat very low, cover tightly and cook,
without lifting lid or stirring, for 20-25 minutes. Lift lid to allow steam to escape for
about 5 minutes, then lightly fluff up rice with fork, taking care not to mash the grains,
which will be firm, separate and perfectly cooked. Dish up using a slotted metal spoon
rather than a wooden spoon, which will crush the grains. Serve with curries or other
spiced dishes. |
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Festive Spiced Rice
- Rajasthani Pilau (Rajasthan)
The State of Rajasthan is beautiful. Costumes in vivid colors dazzle and enchant. Even
the food reflects this love of color, dishes being garnished with the bright reds and
greens that Rajasthani folk delight in. |
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Ingredients:
Serves: 4-6
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
3 tablespoons ghee or oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 sticks cinnamon
6 cardamom pods, bruised
6 whole cloves
10 whole black pepper
4 cups hot stock or water
Salt to taste |
Method:
If the rice needs washing, wash well in several changes of cold water and leave to soak
for 1 hour. Then drain in a colander for at least 30 minutes.
Heat ghee or oil in a large, heavy saucepan and fry the sliced onion with the cinnamon,
cardamoms, black pepper and cloves until the onions are golden, stirring frequently so
that they brown evenly. Add the rice and fry for about 3 minutes, then pour in the stock
or water. Add the salt and stir well while bringing quickly to the boil. Turn heat very
low, cover tightly and cook without lifting lid for 25 minutes. Uncover, allow steam to
escape for a few minutes, remove whole spices.
Serve hot with curry. |
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| Rice with Peas - Mattar Pilau
(Uttar Pradesh) |
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Ingredients:
Serves: 4-5
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 tablespoon ghee
4 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
3 or 4 cardamom pods, bruised
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2cups shelled green peas and diced carrots
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/4 cups hot water |
Wash the rice well and leave to soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. Heat
the ghee in a heavy saucepan and fry the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and cumin seeds,
for 1 minute. Add turmeric and rice and stir over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add
peas/carrots, salt and hot water. Bring quickly to the boil, then turn heat very low,
cover with a well-fitting lid and cook for 25-30 minutes without lifting lid or stirring.
Uncover at end of cooking time to allow steam to escape for about 3 minutes. Remove whole
spices, fork rice grains lightly and serve hot with meat or vegetable curries. |
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| Rice with Sesame Seeds - Til Bhath (South
India) |
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Ingredients:
Serves: 4-6
2'h cups long grain rice
4 cups water
2'/s teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
- Spices
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1 teaspoon mustard seeds
12 curry leaves
1 cup sesame seeds lemon juice to taste |
Method:
Put rice, water and salt into a heavy saucepan, bring to the boil. Cover with well-fitting
lid, turn heat very low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and leave while preparing
seasoning.Heat Sesame Oil in small saucepan and fry
the mustard seeds and curry leaves until leaves are brown and Mustard Seeds pop. Add the
sesame seeds and keep stirring over medium heat until the seeds are evenly golden brown.
Mix this seasoning together with the hot cooked rice and add a little lemon juice to
taste. Serve with curried vegetables, fresh chutney and fried pappadams. |
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| Spicy Rice
Maharashtrian Style - Masala Bhath - (Maharashtra) |
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Ingredients:
Serves: 6
3 cups long grain rice
3 tablespoons ghee
3 tablespoons oil
3 large onions, finely sliced
- Spices
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5 cardamom pods, bruised
2 small sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
20 whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
5 cups hot water
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup raw peanuts/cashew nuts, split in halves
2 sprigs fresh curry leaves or 20 dried curry leaves
3 fresh green chilies, seeded and sliced
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds |
Method:
Wash rice well and leave to drain in colander for at least 30 minutes. In a large, heavy
saucepan heat half the ghee and oil and fry the onions and whole spices until onions are
golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove half the onions and set aside for garnish. Add
turmeric and rice to pan and fry, stirring with slotted metal spoon, until all the grains
are coated with the ghee. Add the hot water and salt, stir well and bring to the boil.
Cover with tightly fitting lid and turn heat very low. Cook for 20-25 minutes without
lifting lid.Heat remaining ghee and oil in a small
pan and fry the peanuts/cashew nuts until golden. Remove with slotted spoon. Fry the curry
leaves, green chilies and mustard seeds until the seeds pop. Pour over the rice, lightly
fork through. Dish up rice and garnish with the fried cashews, chopped coriander leaves
and grated fresh coconut. |
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Rice with Yogurt
- Thair Sadam (South India)
In southern: India, this dish is often served as the finale to a festive meal, but it
may be presented as the meal itself, accompanied by curries and pickles. |
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Serves: 4-6
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- Spices
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1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dhal
1/4 teaspoon asafetida, optional
3 fresh red or green chilies, seeded and sliced
3 cups yogurt
salt to taste |
| Put well washed and drained rice
into a saucepan with the water and salt. Bring quickly to the boil, then cover tightly,
turn heat very low and cook for 20 minutes without lifting lid. In another pan heat the ghee and fry the black cumin, mustard, dhal,
asafetida (if used) and chilies until the mustard seeds pop and the dhal is golden brown.
Remove from heat, garnish into the yogurt and add a little salt to taste. Mix thoroughly
with the cooked rice. |
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| Rice in Coconut Milk - Nariyal Bhath -(South
India) |
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Serves: 6
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 tablespoons ghee
2 medium onions, finely sliced
- Spices
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10 curry leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
1 small stick cinnamon
6 cardamom pods, bruised
6 whole cloves
a few cashew nuts
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups coconut milk
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
Garnish:
1/2 cup fried cashew nuts |
| Wash rice and drain for at least
30 minutes. Heat the ghee in a heavy saucepan and fry the onions, curry leaves and whole
spices, cashew nuts, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden. Add the turmeric
and the rice and fry, stirring, until the rice is coated with the ghee, about 3 or 4
minutes. Add the coconut milk and salt, stir and bring to the boil, then cover with a
well-fitting lid, turn heat very low and cook for 25 minutes or until the coconut milk is
absorbed. Serve the rice hot, garnished with fried
cashews and accompanied by curries and sambals. |
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