Plain Basmati Rice

Plain Basmati Rice

This is the daily rice that is common in the southern part of India. Dishes from that region tend to be rather spicy, and the rice balances out the spices. I prefer to use Basmati rice, a fragrant long-grained white rice, to make this dish, but in India daily rice is usually made with a less expensive variety of white rice. Basmati rice is typically reserved for more elegant rice dishes such as Vegetable Pilaf Rice (page 65) and Saffron, Fruit, and Nut Rice (page 66). If you prefer to buy plain, long-grained white rice for this dish, that will work as well, but you will miss the fragrance you will get from Basmati rice!

Serves 3 to 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes + 5 minutes to rest

Refrigerator life: 3 days

Freezer life: 1 month

Reheating method: Place the refrigerated or defrosted rice in a microwave, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and stir periodically. Or, place the rice in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and warm over medium-low heat, stirring periodically.

1 cup (180 g) uncooked white Basmati rice (or plain-long-grained white rice)

2 cups (500 ml) water

1 Place the rice in a small bowl. Rinse three or four times by repeatedly filling the bowl with cold water and carefully draining off the water. It is okay if the water is not completely clear, but try to get it as clear as you can. Pour the rice into a large sieve to drain.

2 Place the drained rice and 2 cups (500 ml) of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

3 Stir and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan. Simmer undisturbed until the water is completely absorbed and you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the rice, about 9 minutes. You might see dimples formed on the surface of the rice, which is a sign that the water is completely absorbed.

4 Turn off the heat. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes on the warm stove. Keep covered until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later. Before serving, gently fluff the rice with a fork. Enjoy!

Variation

Plain Boiled Brown Rice

Brown rice may be used in place of white rice to make a nutritions whole grain dish.

Use 1 cup (180 g) uncooked long-grained brown rice and 2½ (625 ml) cups water. Follow steps 1 through 4 for Plain Basmati Rice, but in step 3, cook for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until there is no more water in the saucepan.

TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS FOR RICE

 To avoid burnt rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan, use a heavy bottomed saucepan.

 To avoid mushy rice, make sure the rice is simmering after reducing the heat. If it’s just sitting in hot water, it will take a long time to cook, and it will become mushy and sticky. Increase the heat if needed so the rice is simmering. If your rice is still mushy, you may have overcooked it. As soon as you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the rice, turn off the heat.

 If you are new to making rice, I would first try making the 1 cup (180 g) amount in the recipe instead of doubling the recipe. Once you get comfortable with making rice, then you can double the recipe, but I never make more than 2 cups (360 g) of rice at one time.