December 29, 2020
It’s safe to say that rice is the go-to accompaniment for any Indian curry dish as it is often considered a staple of the Asian diet. After all, there is nothing better than fluffy grains that have been cooked to perfection, and this is something that takes quite a lot of practice to get right every single time. Here at Royal Nawaab, we’ve decided to spill the secrets and reveal everything you need to know when it comes to cooking basmati rice…
In order to learn how to make basmati rice, it can be beneficial to understand what it is and how it is used in order to complement and/or bring together a dish. In Hindi, ‘bas’ actually means ‘aroma’ and ‘mati’ stand for ‘full of’ which means that the name of this grain literally means ‘full of aroma’, and quite rightly too. After all, basmati is a long-grain rice known for its fragrant and nutty-flavours.
When cooking with basmati rice, it is important to wash it first as this will prevent the grains from sticking to one another and ensure that the dish is fluffy, light and tender. The washing process actually removes the starch that coats the rice and causes that ‘gummy’ texture to happen.
After you have washed your basmati rice, the first thing you need to do is place it into a medium pan and cover it with 1 and ¾ cups of water, adding 1 and ½ tablespoons of butter and ½ a teaspoon of salt at the same time. Bring it to the boil before covering tightly with a lid and allowing the rice to simmer for 15-20 minutes undisturbed. The worst thing that you can do when cooking rice is remove the lid and stir as this will cause it to stick together. Once the rice is tender, remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. If you desire, you could add spices and herbs before simmering to give the rice a burst of flavour, or even reduce the grains in a stock cube rather than plain water.
Rice is a rather versatile ingredient because it can be added alongside a curry or incorporated into a dish entirely. In fact, there are actually half a dozen different varieties that each provide a distinct aroma, flavour and texture to a finished meal. Basmati rice is considered the most popular grain in Indian cuisine because it is filling, colourful and incredibly fluffy. To find out more information, get in contact with the best restaurant London has to offer and speak to a member of the Royal Nawaab team today!
