How to cook perfect BASMATI RICE

Basmati rice is a rice of Indian origin that is widely used in its cuisine, both alone and to accompany other dishes. Cooking basmati rice is easy but it is important to follow a few steps so that the rice is loose, since unlike other types of rice, such as the round ones used for risotto for example, where you want them to release the starch, in In the case of basmati rice, try to keep the grains loose. Check out more only at Petpooja.

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How to cook basmati rice

Ingredients for 4 people)

400 g of basmati rice
1.2 liters of water
Mild olive oil (0.4º maximum acidity) or sunflower oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 unpeeled garlic clove (optional)

We wash the rice

As we told you before, a fundamental step when it comes to cooking basmati rice is to wash it well under cold running water, so that it releases all its starch.
To do this, it is best to use a strainer where we will have measured the amount of rice that we are going to use for the recipe and leave it under running water, gently moving the strainer so that the starch is released.

We cook the basmati rice

To cook the basmati rice, once washed, use a saucepan and put a couple of tablespoons of oil in the bottom, heating over medium heat.
Put a clove of unpeeled garlic in the oil.
Add the rice, and stir well with the oil so that it is well impregnated with the aroma.
We add the water, which is usually 3 parts of water for each part of rice . That is, if we use, for example, 2 cups of rice, we will have to add 6 cups of water.
We put on high heat and when it starts to boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 15 minutes, until the water has been consumed.

Now all we have to do is enjoy this basmati rice, which, as you will see, has a delicious flavor that accompanies many of the Indian recipes that we have at Pequerecetas.

How to make perfect basmati rice

What variety is Indian Basmati rice?

Basmati rice is a long-grain rice with a delicate flavor and mild fragrances. Did you know that in Hindi it translates as queen of fragrances …? This rice is grown mainly in India, and also in Pakistan and it is in the Himalayan region that the best basmati rice in the world is grown.
Another curiosity that perhaps you did not know is that the best quality basmati rice is aged for several years before husking it for consumption, because it cooks better the less water it contains and because in this way its aromas are concentrated.
It is a long-grain rice that has a lot of starch and although it is not usually sticky, if you want it to be loose, it is best to wash it beforehand so that it releases its starch and the grains separate.

Basmati rice cooking time

Basmati rice usually takes about 15 minutes from when the water begins to boil, at which point we must lower the heat to medium-low. The rice is ready when it absorbs all the water.
The ratio of water you need is 3 to 1, that is, 3 measures of water for each measure of rice.

How much rice is needed for each person?

This is quite relative, because it depends on whether you are going to use it to accompany another dish or if it is a recipe with basmati rice as the protagonist. As a general rule, if you only need it as a side dish, 200 g of rice will suffice (in that case you should divide the rest of the ingredients, such as salt, in half as well).
In the recipe we have put 400 g, which is about two cups, because personally in these cases we always like to cook leftover rice, since it can be used later in any other recipe. Remember our Batch Cooking tips and make more quantities for the rest of the week’s meals and thus save time.

How to accompany basmati rice

Basmati rice is a perfect side dish for both meat and fish dishes. If you want to try it with an Indian recipe you can try Chicken Tikka Masala , Tandoori Chicken, Indian Kedgeree, or Chicken Curry.

Remember that basmati rice can also be consumed alone in one of its many recipes. We leave you one that is the one that we have used, very simple, which is pilau rice or pilaf rice, flavored with coriander and lime.

Pilau rice with Basmati

Ingredients

1 cup of basmati rice; 3 cups of water or broth; 2 tablespoons of light olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 lime; 1 small bunch of coriander; 1 clove garlic

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice Pilaf

Prepare the basmati rice following the instructions above, washing the rice first.
In a saucepan, sauté minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of oil.
Add the rice and stir well with the olive oil.
Add the water and the teaspoon of salt and put on high heat, until it begins to boil, at which point we lower the heat to a minimum.
Cook the basmati rice for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
Let stand off the heat for 10 minutes.
Add the lime juice and chopped coriander.

This basmati rice , which as you can see is very simple, can be flavored with all kinds of flavors. If you don’t like cilantro, for example, you can use parsley, basil or mint. You can also add other spices to flavor it, such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, or even nuts, such as peanuts or cashews.