Basmati rice!

M1XR

right it may sound basic enough but i can never master cooking basmati rice.
i would usually rinse it first, add it to a pot of salted water and boil to just done. but i can never get that nice light luffy rice one gets in restaurants, i get a stickier mess (but still tasty!). some will say i am overcooking it but i really am just giving it the minimum amount so its tender.

help me with tips and/or funky suggestions to serve or season it?

FoxT

Ive ever gotten it fluffy either. I tend to cook it lightly though, a little 'al dente', so it isnt sticky. Oddly enough, if I overdo it & its a bit sticky, it is still quite nice!

I've also found that if you put a few slices of fresh ginger into the pot it gives a nice flavour. Fish them out before serving, natch.

maxextz

if im frying it i first rinse it in cold water then after straining it stick it in the fridge as it stops the rice sticking together.
as for fluffy why not steam it instead with one of those bamboo steamers.

smallgarden

i dont know if get fluffy rice youre looking for but we always pour one cup of rice,add tiny bit of oil.add two cups boiling water.bring to boil with lid on but slightly off so it doesnt overflow.reduce heat and simmer on low heat for around 20 mins until water has gone.check this by making hole in centre of pot with fork and seeing if waters left.sometimes the rice will stick but an hour soaking in cold water and itl lift right out

huskerdu

Try using Delias recipe for pilau race. You can leave out the spices if you want to.

http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/rice-and-pasta/how-to-cook-pilau-rice.html

5unflower

I've always had a love-hate relationship with rice, i was never really able to cook it so that it comes out fluffy. Until i found the method as described by Jamie Oliver in his Ministry of Food book:

Wash the rice thoroughly, boil for 5 mins in boiling water, drain, bring a little bit of water back to the boil and steam the rice over the boiling water for another 8-10 mins. So far it came out nice and fluffy every time

horse7

measure one cup per person of rice into a pyrex dish,pour boiling water into pyrex dish,there should be about 1inch of water over the rice, zap in micro,2mins per cup of rice.

Curry Addict

here is a simple method which will work every time.

wash 2 cups of rice and soak in water for 20mins
add 2 tbs of oil to a suitable pan and heat on high.
drain and add the rice with 3 cups of water.
bring to the boil, put the lid on and simmer for 6 mins(do not remove the lid during this 6mins).
after 6mins turn off the heat, remove the lid and allow the steam dissapate. stir and leave to stand for 5 mins.
then stir again until all the steam dissapates. then put the lid on until you use the rice or it will become lumpy.


its nice to add a teaspoon of cumin seed, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anaise, 6 green cardamoms if available while u are heating the oil. also add a teaspoon of turmeric when u add the water to give a nice colour and numerous health benefits.

huskerdu

Curry Addict wrote: »

here is a simple method which will work every time.

wash 2 cups of rice and soak in water for 20mins
add 2 tbs of oil to a suitable pan and heat on high.
drain and add the rice with 3 cups of water.
bring to the boil, put the lid on and simmer for 6 mins(do not remove the lid during this 6mins).
after 6mins turn off the heat, remove the lid and allow the steam dissapate. stir and leave to stand for 5 mins.
then stir again until all the steam dissapates. then put the lid on until you use the rice or it will become lumpy.


its nice to add a teaspoon of cumin seed, 3 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anaise, 6 green cardamoms if available while u are heating the oil. also add a teaspoon of turmeric when u add the water to give a nice colour and numerous health benefits.

This is similar to the Delia method and follows her advice for non-sticky
fluffy rice which is to not use too much water, and dont stir the rice during cooking.

Sparks

Rinse one cup of rice under running water, then let it sit in clean water soaking away for at least 20 minutes.
Boil the kettle and add 1.5 cups of water to a pot with a close-fitting lid; add a stock cube, whisk to combine, clamp on lid, bring to a rolling boil.
Drain the rice and dump into the boiling water.
Take a clean tea-towel (non-furry is better) and put it over the open pot, then put the lid down on the towel to get a good seal (tuck up the corners to avoid embarressing fires).
Leave at high heat for three minutes (the water will just get back up to a rolling boil at that point - the cold rice will have dropped its temperature); then drop to very low heat for seven minutes.
Now take the pot off the heat, as gently as you can, and leave it sit aside on a trivet or a spare hob or a silicone heat mat or whatever prevents you burning your countertop, for ten more minutes. DO NOT OPEN POT.
After ten minutes, open the pot and fluff the rice.

By the way, if you skip the soaking stage, you'll burn the rice. If you skip the towel, you'll burn the rice. If you open the pot early, you'll get rice porridge. If you add too much water, the rice will be soggy at the end, but a few minutes over medium heat will dry it out. If you add too little water, you'll burn the rice. If you skip the stock cube, it'll be fine, but do add some salt (about a tablespoon), or the rice will be flavourless.

Oh, and the ratio of rice to water isn't constant:
From Good Eats:

• 1 Cup Rice - 1 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 Cups Rice - 2 3/4 Cups Water
• 3 Cups Rice - 3 1/2 Cups Water

Minder

My tuppence...

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Add rice to a pot of unsalted cold water for 30 minutes - this helps the rice grains to swell. Add salt and bring to the boil. Stir once to make sure the rice grains separate. By the time the water is boiling, the rice is almost cooked so watch the pot, trying the rice once or twice. Drain and allow the rice to sit in the colander over the empty pot with a clean tea towel over the top for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.

This is not an absorption method - use plenty of water.

Optimus Prime

here is how i do it, the girlfriends father is half indian and a great cook

wash the rice until the water runs clear. sit for 20mins in warmish water then drain and let dry for an hour.

boil a kettle of water,
add 2tbs of oil to a pot and fry 3 cardamons, 3 peppercorns, 2 cloves and a bay leaf for 1 minute. add the rice and fry it for 2-3 minutes until it starts sticking. boil up the kettle again and add the water, it should steam as you are adding it. add enough water to cover the top of the rice and about 1cm over it. add a bit of salt and stir it around.

close the lid and lower down the heat to its lowest (not off) leave it for 15 minutes then turn the heat off and leave it for a further 5 then mix it around.