Recipe Handbook: Rice

Showing posts with label Rice. Show all posts

Wednesday, 23 March 2016

Saffron Pilaf - ( Zaffarani Pulao )

Ingredients:
2 cups long grain rice, preferably Basmati
3 to 4 fresh ripe peaches, or 1 (16 oz.)
can peaches in syrup, drained
6 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 (3.inch long) cinnamon stick
1 cup milk
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Soak the rice in 3 cups cold water for 30 minutes. Drain the rice, reserving the
water, and set aside. Cut the peaches lengthwise into 1/2.inch slices. Heat the ghee
or oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat and sauté the peach slices until
golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on
paper towels.
In the same ghee, sauté the almonds until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove
and drain. Repeat with the pistachios. Set the almonds and pistachios aside. Add
the onion to the ghee remaining in the pan and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick and fry for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir
constantly for 2 minutes, until the rice begins to brown and is thoroughly coated
with the ghee. Add the reserved water, milk, raisins, cardamom, saffron and salt.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom
of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Remove
from the heat and allow to sit covered for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork,
remove and discard the cinnamon stick, and transfer to a serving platter.
Surround the rice with the reserved peach slices and sprinkle with the almonds and
pistachios.

Rice in Coconut Milk - Nariyal Bhath

Ingredients:
Serves: 6
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
2 tablespoons ghee
2 medium onions, finely sliced
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

Method:
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.

Rice with Yogurt - Thair Sadam

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.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4-6
2 1/2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dhal
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida, optional
3 fresh red or green chillies, seeded and sliced
3 cups yogurt
salt to taste

Method:
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, asafoetida (if
used) and chillies 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.

Spicy Rice Maharashtrian Style - Masala Bhath - (Maharashtra)

Ingredients:
Serves: 6
3 cups long grain rice
3 tablespoons ghee
3 tablespoons oil
3 large onions, finely sliced
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 chillies, 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 chillies 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.

Rice with Sesame Seeds - Til Bhath

Ingredients:
Serves: 4-6
2'h cups long grain rice
4 cups water
2'/s teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
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 wellfitting
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 pappadoms.

Rice with Peas - Mattar Pilau (Uttar Pradesh)

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.

Festive Spiced Rice - Rajasthani Pilau

The State of Rajasthan is beautiful. Costumes in vivid colours dazzle and enchant.
Even the food reflects this love of colour, dishes being garnished with the bright
reds and greens that Rajasthani folk delight in.

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.

Plain Savoury Rice - Namkin Chawal

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, and 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.

CURD RICE

INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
Rice 400 gm
Fresh curd 600 ml
Milk 400 ml
Salt to taste
Ginger 10 gm
Green Chillies 10 gm
Mustard seeds 4 gm
Asafoetida A pinch
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Oil 30 ml

METHOD
· Boil rice, add salt and cook slightly
· Mix with curd, add boiled and cooked milk chop green chillies and ginger
· Heat oil, fry mustered seed and asafoetida.
· Add curry leaves and chopped ingredients sauté for 2 minutes.
· Switch off the fire and add the rice, curd mixture to the pan
· Mix well
· Serve with pickles

Tomato Rice

Ingredients
Rice 1 cup
Tomatoes 1/2 can
Green Pepper 1
Onions 1-2
Green Chillies 2-3
Ginger 1/2 inch
Garlic 2-3 cloves
Fresh coriander bunch
Random spices

Preparation
· Fry cut onions, green pepper, ginger, garlic, random spices (cloves, black
pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves) and salt for 5 - 10 minutes.
· Add tomatoes, sauté for a while.
· Add washed and drained rice, fry for 5 minutes or so. Add more water and
cook until rice is done.
· Extra fancy: Top rice with cheese, tomato and green pepper slices (rings,
e.g.) and bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 250o.

Recipe Handbook