RICE RECIPES
Rice is the staple food of India. Indians have developed various styles in preparing the rice dishes over the course of time. Rice is also called as Chawal in Hindi in the northern parts of India. Rice dish can be anything from the basic boiled rice, to biryanis, pulaos,etc. Each rice dish has its own flavor depending upon the region of the people. Here we have presented some basic rice recipes for you to prepare in a jiffy without much effort.
PLAIN SAVORY RICE / NAMKIN CHAWAL(NORTH INDIA)
Ingredients
- 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.
FESTIVE SPICED RICE / RAJASTHANI PILAU (RAJASTHAN)
Ingredients
- 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.
RICE WITH PEAS / MATTAR PILAU (UTTAR PRADESH)
Ingredients
- 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
Note: serves 4-5
Method
- 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.
RICE WITH SESAME SEEDS / TIL BHATH (SOUTH INDIA)
Ingredients
- 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
Spices
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.
SPICY RICE MAHARASHTRIAN STYLE /MASALA BHATH - (MAHARASHTRA)
Ingredients
- 3 cups long grain rice
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 large onions, finely sliced
Spices
-
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
Note :Serves 6
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.
RICE WITH YOGURT / THAIR SADAM (SOUTH INDIA)
Ingredients
- 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 asafetida, optional
- 3 fresh red or green chilies, seeded and sliced
- 3 cups yogurt
- salt to taste Note :Servers 4 -6
Spices :
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, 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.
RICE IN COCONUT MILK / NARIYAL BHATH (SOUTH INDIA)
Ingredients
- 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
Spices
Note : Serves 6
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.
BIRYANI
Ingredients
- 1 Kg/2 lbs. boneless meat (chicken/lamb), cut in 1 inch strips
- 2 cups rice, washed and drained(preferably Basmati Rice)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 5 dried red chillies
- 2 medium onions, sliced into rings
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 5 mint leaves
- pinch of saffron (optional)
- 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 pods cardamoms
- 3 cloves
- 2 inch stick of cinnamon
- salt to taste
Method
- Make a paste of the garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor.
- Saute the onions in the butter until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the onions, and put them aside.
- Put the ginger-garlic-chili paste into the same pan used above and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the meat and saute.
- Lamb should be sauted for about 7-8 minutes, while the chicken will take about 4-5 minutes.
- The meat should be about half cooked at the end of this step.
- Add chopped tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, turmeric, mint leaves and salt and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add a little water and cook until the meat is almost cooked.
- Now add the rice and potatoes.
- Add the rest of the water and simmer covered, on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
- Serve hot, garnished with the fried onions.
CHICK-PEAS PILAF
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teacups uncooked Basmati rice
- 2 cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 2 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 teacup chick peas (Kabuli chana)
- 1 pinch soda-bi-carb
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teacup fresh yogurt
- 1 teacup chopped tomatoes
- 2 chopped potatoes
- 3 chopped green chillies
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 chopped green chilli
- 2 tablespoons fried onions
- 1/4 teacup milk with a dash of saffron
For the rice
For the gravy
For the baking
Note : Serves 6-8
Method
- Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Mix the water and milk together.
-
Add the caradamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt and rice and cook until almost done.
- Soak the chick peas overnight. Next day, boil with a little water and the soda bi-carb. Drain.
- Heat the ghee, add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for a while.
- Add the chilli powder and the turmeric (in a little water) and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the yogurt, tomatoes, potatoes and green chillies and stir for a while.
- Add the chick peas and salt.
- To the cooked rice, add the coriander, mint, green chillies and fried onions.
- Put one layer of rice in a big bowl and spread a layer of chick pea gravy on top.
- Make alternate layers of rice and gravy in this manner.
- Finally, sprinkle the saffron milk on top, cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 20 minutes.
-
When baked, turn upside down in a serving dish and serve hot.
For the rice
For the gravy
For the Baking
SPICY VEGETABLE PULAO
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 2 cups Vegetables
- 1/2" Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 1/ 4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder powder
- 2 Chilies
- 4 Tomatoes
- 1/ 2 cup Coconut (grated)
- 1 bunch Coriander leaves
- 2 pieces Garlic
- 1/ 2" piece Ginger (made into a paste)
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 Onion cut lengthwise
Method
- Wash the rice and drain the water.
- Extract one cup of water from tomatoes.
- Pour the butter into a vessel and heat.
- Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
- Add onions and chilies and fry until onions turn golden brown
- .Add ginger + garlic paste and turmeric powder paste and fry until you get a nice smell.
- Now pour in the tomato water + 1 cup water Add coconut, coriander powder (coriander powder powder), salt and let boil.
- Add rice + coriander leaves + vegetables.
- Reduce to low heat and let the rice cook.
- Serve Hot with Raitha.