Basmati Rice
This really is a very simple recipe for cooking great basmati rice. I say basmati rice because for me this has the best body and flavour of all the different rice I have tasted and is consistently great with all kinds of curry.
I must also say that this recipe was learnt from an friend many years ago. At first you may not believe it works but believe me it does and you will be amazed how much flavour the rice maintains as a result.
What you need:
1. A small pot (depending on the quantities of rice you will make) that has a lid that closes tightly.
2. Small quantity of extra virgin olive oil.
3. A strainer/sieve/colander
4. Basimati rice.
How To Cook Rice in 17 minutes:
1. Wash rice in the strainer/sieve. Allow water to just flow through the sieve for about 30 seconds.
2. Heat a small quantity of olive oil in the pan you are using. There is no set amount of olive oil. I just use sufficient to greese the bottom of the pan. The purpose of the oil is to merely stop the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. When the olive oil is hot, add the washed rice to the pan and stir. This will dry the water from the rice and lightly cover the rice with olive oil. Do this for about 30 seconds, stiring the rice over at all times, in order to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the same qualtity of water as you are using for rice. If one cup of rice, then the same cup of water. This is important…..don’t try to be clever here…..this works.
5. Bring the water to boil. Place lid to the pan and lower the fire to a minimum heat. Cook for 17 minuted at this low fire. If you are cooking with electric, then it’s best to pre-heat a minimum heat, so that you can exchange the pan to the pre-heated ring.
VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT OPEN THE LID OF THE PAN FOR THE FULL DURATION OF THE 18 MINUTES. The rice is being cooked by the steam created and if you let the steam out, the process stops.
Open after the 17 minutes and you will serve perfect rice.
