Basmati rice is an Indian grain that has a special taste and aroma. The grains of this product are thin and long. After harvesting, this rice is aged for at least one year. As a result of prolonged drying, cereal grains become harder. It should be especially noted that during cooking they practically do not lose their shape and increase by about 2.5 times.

Basmati rice grows in northern Punjab, between Pakistan and India. The presented cereal is the most expensive variety in the world.

basmati?

You can prepare dinners using this cereal in different ways. But if you only need to boil it, then for this you need to prepare:

• rice cereal - 1;
• table salt - to taste;
• drinking water - 1.5 grains. glasses.

Preparing long grain cereals

Don't know how to cook basmati rice? It should be washed thoroughly in cold water. To do this, pour the required amount of cereal into a large sieve. Next, long grain rice should be washed carefully, kneading it well with your hands until the water is completely clear.

Heat treatment of Indian grains

After the Indian basmati rice has been processed, it must be placed in a deep bowl and filled with 2 cups of regular cold water. In this position, it is advisable to leave the cereal aside for half an hour. After the specified time has passed, all the liquid must be drained and the rice kept in the bowl for another 10 minutes. Next, the product must be poured into a saucepan, pour 1.5 cups of cold water, put on high heat and wait until it boils. After the liquid in the container begins to boil, the heat must be reduced to a minimum value. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the cereal for about 20 minutes.

The final stage in preparing lunch

Basmati, the recipe for which we are considering, is not recommended to be kept on fire for longer than the prescribed time. Otherwise, the cereal will be overcooked and take on a sticky, porridge-like consistency. After the product is completely cooked, it must be thrown into a sieve and rinsed thoroughly in cold water. In conclusion boiled rice basmati should be salted to taste, and also add any spices and herbs.

How to serve a dish at the dinner table?

Boiled Indian cereal will serve as an ideal side dish for meat, poultry or goulash. In addition, this product is often used to prepare hedgehog meatballs, lazy cabbage rolls, sushi, etc.

We prepare the most delicious and satisfying pilaf

Basmati rice is an ideal product for preparing such an oriental dish as pilaf. To make it tasty, aromatic and as crumbly as possible, you should prepare the following components in advance:

• long grain basmati rice - 1.5 grains. glasses;
• lamb or beef pulp with fatty layers - about 400 g;
• fresh large carrots - 3 pcs.;
• garlic - large head;
• bitter white onions - 2 heads;
• vegetable oil - add as desired;
• salt and seasonings intended specifically for pilaf - add to taste.

Product processing

Basmati rice for pilaf should be processed in exactly the same way as in the previous recipe. However, it is not necessary to soak it in water. In addition to cereals, for such a dish you should take a small fatty piece of beef or lamb, wash it thoroughly and cut it into large cubes. You also need to peel the carrots and onions, and then chop them into half circles and rings.

Heat treatment of some ingredients

Before you make such a delicious oriental dish as pilaf, you should first fry the pieces of meat and vegetables. To do this, you need to take a thick-walled pan, pour into it vegetable oil and heat it up as much as possible. Next, you need to put beef or lamb in a bowl and fry over high heat until a reddish crust appears. After this, add chopped vegetables to the meat pieces and leave for about 5-8 minutes.

The process of preparing the entire dish

After thoroughly frying the fatty meat and vegetables, you should start laying out the rice. To do this, it is advisable to generously sprinkle the main ingredients with salt and aromatic seasonings, and then evenly distribute them over the bottom of the pan. Place thoroughly washed long grain rice and a large head of garlic on top of the fried meat and vegetables. Without stirring the products, they must be poured with boiling water so that it covers the ingredients by 2-2.5 centimeters. This amount of water is quite enough for the cereal to cook well, increase in size, but at the same time remain crumbly.

After the food has been poured with boiling water, the dishes must be tightly closed and the heat set to low. In this position, the pilaf should cook for about 35-40 minutes. After the specified time has passed, the dish should be thoroughly mixed, additionally seasoned with spices (if necessary), and then closed again, removed from the stove, wrapped in a thick towel and left aside for half an hour.

Proper serving to the table

Now you know how to cook basmati rice. After 30 minutes, it is recommended to stir the pilaf again with a large spoon, and then distribute it into deep plates and serve along with fresh herbs. It should be noted that the oriental dish prepared according to the recipe described above turns out very tasty, aromatic and satisfying.

What is special about this type of rice?

Basmati rice is used to prepare light side dishes and crumbly pilaf because it contains much less starch than similar, but round-grain cereals. That is why such a product is considered dietary and is very often used for healthy eating.

It should also be noted that the presented Indian rice contains a lot of useful substances, namely: folic acid, starch, fiber, iron, amino acids, phosphorus, niacin, thiamine, potassium and riboflavin. By the way, boiled grains of such cereals do not provoke stimulation of the secretion of gastric juice, since they envelop and protect its mucous membrane.

Rice is one of the healthiest cereal crops, invariably included in the diet of vegetarians and everyone who adheres to a healthy diet. Among these people, who are attentive and even reverent about the contents of their plates, there are many gourmets. They not only have an excellent understanding of the chemical composition and absorption characteristics of various products, but also have studied their taste qualities and the nuances of combinations in dishes down to the smallest detail. Moreover, out of all the variety of types of rice, wild and cultivated, they prefer over all others the variety under the exotic name of basmati. Can you trust their taste! Without a doubt! After all, when the choice of products is strictly limited, willy-nilly you begin to choose only the best from what is available.

For many years, our compatriots, unlike residents of Asian countries, considered rice a nutritious, but not too refined in taste component of such classic recipes like pilaf, soup and sweet rice porridge. All of these cooking techniques assume that the rice itself is just a base that gains flavor during the cooking process through the addition of strong spices, flavors, sweeteners and sauces. But in fact, a portion of fluffy, aromatic rice with a minimum of spices that distract from its delicate taste is a delicacy in itself. But to understand this, the rice must be cooked properly. And basmati rice is best suited for mastering this approach.

Basmati rice and its features
Most varieties of rice growing on our planet can be divided into two groups according to the shape of the grain: long-grain and short-grain rice. And, if the varieties of the second group are characterized by relative softness, are easily boiled and are used mainly for preparing “sticky” dishes (porridge, risotto, sushi), then long-grain varieties allow for a greater number of culinary experiments. Basmati rice, which originates from the foothills of the Himalayas, is one of these varieties with elongated grains. Sanded and unpolished from the surface shells, it is used all over the world for side dishes, desserts, pilafs and other dishes with national flavor.

Due to its exotic origin, delicate taste and rich chemical composition, basmati has become one of the most expensive varieties of rice. And in its homeland, India, basmati is called nothing less than the “king of rice” and they pay tribute to it with love and respect. During the cooking process, each grain of rice almost doubles in size and begins to exude a delicate and piquant aroma. Even in appearance, basmati is very attractive: snow-white, crumbly, without glued particles or lumps. Every self-respecting housewife should be able to cook it this way. Moreover, it would be simply annoying to spoil such an expensive and otherwise valuable product.

How to cook crumbly basmati
For the first acquaintance with basmati rice, the classic method of preparing it, which does not involve the use of complex devices and exotic additives, is ideal. But to avoid disappointment, make sure you choose the right rice and are going to cook basmati. To do this, carefully read the composition of the product on the packaging so that it does not contain impurities of other, cheaper varieties. Real basmati is uniform in color and consists of whole, not crumbled, elongated grains. Sometimes manufacturers mix it in a package with black, or wild, rice, but to master the cooking features, it is better to take pure basmati.

Immediately before starting cooking, the rice must be sorted and washed. It is most convenient to use a fairly large horizontal surface for this: a table or tray. Pour a small amount of rice onto it and remove all foreign particles from it, which may include lumps of clay, stalks and grain husks. All these impurities indicate natural origin rice Pour the peeled rice into a large bowl and fill with clean cold water. Using your hands, mix the rice grains under water - this will help them quickly get rid of dust and excess starch. Repeat the washing procedure several times – as many times as necessary so that the water remains clear after mixing with the rice.

Basmati (like other aromatic rice varieties) is recommended to be soaked briefly in water before cooking. There is nothing complicated about this, but there is a subtle nuance. Firstly, it is better to soak basmati in warm water(a bit higher room temperature). This allows the grains to “relax” and reveal their taste and aroma more fully. Secondly, do not pour out the water in which the rice was soaked, but carefully pour it into the pan. When cooked in the same water in which it was soaked, basmati retains more nutrients And taste qualities. Just 10-15 minutes is enough for the rice to soak in warm water, and passed on his valuable properties to her. After this, you can proceed directly to cooking:

1. First things first, ignore the cooking instructions on the rice package. In most cases, there is a recommendation to cook basmati according to the same principle as pasta made from durum wheat. There is no mistake as such, but it is unlikely that you will be able to get non-sticky and aromatic rice this way.
   
2. To make the basmati really crumbly, you need to take slightly less water for cooking it than is customary: for 1 part of rice, 1.25 parts of water (and not 1:2, as indicated on the packages). Additionally, to your taste, you can dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in water, but this is not a required component.
   
3. After soaking, place the washed rice in a saucepan and add water (don’t forget that it is possible, and even better, to use the same water).
   
4. Turn the burner on high and quickly bring the water in the pan to a boil.
   
5. Immediately after the water boils, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low.
   
6. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat completely, but do nothing else: do not lift the lid, stir the contents of the pan, or remove it from its place on the stove. The rice inside the posula will need about 15 more minutes, during which it will absorb all the water and become saturated with moisture.
   
7. Open the lid after 15 minutes. Use a long-toothed fork and lightly scrape the surface of the rice. This will help release hot steam from the depths and separate those grains that stuck together during the steaming process.
   
8. Ready! Basmati rice is cooked correctly, looks crumbly, exudes a subtle aroma and is perfect for serving as a side dish to any meat, fish and/or vegetables.
   

Subtleties of cooking basmati rice
In addition to the basic recipe, which allows you to cook basmati rice using the classical method, there are many alternative and interesting recipes in their own way. For example, basmati in Eastern countries is often boiled in milk, yogurt, fruit juice or coconut milk. For us, it’s more common to use unsweetened or salted liquids like vegetable broth for cooking. But it is not recommended to cook basmati in meat broth: due to the fat and gelatin it contains, the rice will not be crumbly. But these delights are interesting experienced cooks, but first remember these features of cooking basmati:

1. By general rule, basmati is cooked in less water than other varieties of rice - we have already noted this. But even this small volume of liquid can be varied at your discretion. If you use a 1:1 ratio of rice to water, you will get firmer rice.
   
2. If you cook rice in advance, it is better not to reheat it, but to use a different method. Increase the amount of cooking liquid by about 30%, and then leave the cooked rice to sit longer under the lid.
   
3. Choose heavy pans with thick walls for cooking rice. The heat in them is distributed more slowly and more evenly - just what is needed for the basmati to be crumbly.
   
4. Rice may stick to the bottom of the pan if cooked over too high a heat - be careful to keep the heat level as low as possible.
   
5. Never stir basmati while cooking. Contrary to expectations, this will lead to uneven steaming of the grains and their gluing.
   
6. Lemon juice or ghee is added to the basmati after removing the lid from the pan. Hot rice is quickly soaked in them and acquires additional fluffiness.
   

As you can see, cooking rice, which seems simple at first glance, is not such a simple process as it might seem at first glance. Especially if we're talking about about one of the rarest, most valuable and capricious varieties - basmati. But all this trouble is paid off handsomely by its taste and healthy qualities. Properly cooked basmati is best eaten immediately after cooking. But even if you cooked more rice than you could eat with your household, do not be upset, but put it in the refrigerator in a container covered with a lid. Even the day after cooking, basmati is still good and can be fried or used as part of another complex dish. But you shouldn’t reheat basmati again. It’s better to re-cook this crumbly and flavorful side dish.

Alexander Gushchin

I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

Content

Basmatus rice is a long, thin grain popular in Indian cuisine. They can be served as a side dish for chicken curry, and the pilaf with them will turn out aromatic and crumbly, rather than porridge with meat. You can cook rice quickly and easily: add it to water in a 1:2 ratio and cover with a lid for a quarter of an hour.

Basmati rice - what is it?

This variety of cereal, grown in Punjab, differs from ordinary long-grain rice not only in its slightly yellowish color and slightly perceptible smell, reminiscent of nuts or popcorn, but also in size: when cooked, the cereal becomes at least 1.5 times longer. If you decide to cook Indian basmati rice in your kitchen, be sure to look at the attached photo and remember what real rice should be like.

Basmati rice - benefits and harm

This type of cereal has many advantages and useful properties, and it has practically no contraindications for consumption. So, the benefits and harms of basmati rice:

1. Rice is rich in fiber folic acid, amino acids, but the composition contains a minimum of sodium and no cholesterol at all.
2. Unpolished basmati is recommended for people who are overweight.
3. Basmati is the best grain because it has a low glycemic index. This suggests that the energy in the human body will be released more slowly, so the level will become more balanced over time.
4. As for harmful properties, this type of rice does not have them. The only thing is that you should not give basmati to children under 3 years of age and you need to reduce the amount in the diet to a minimum for people suffering from constipation, colic or obesity.

Basmati rice - calories

Rice is rich in carbohydrates. The calorie content of basmati rice is 322 calories per 100 grams of boiled cereal, so people who are prone to obesity should consume it with caution.

How to cook basmati rice

Due to the fact that Indian grains cook quickly and, if all cooking conditions are met, turn out to be crumbly, experienced chefs have come up with many different options dishes where it is the main ingredient. Learn how to cook basmati rice for pilaf, how to cook it in a slow cooker with vegetables or chicken.

How to cook basmati rice fluffy

• Number of servings: 2 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 303 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch.
• Cuisine: Indian.

This variety of rice is the most useful product, which turns out tasty and crumbly if cooked correctly. Observing step-by-step recommendations, you will definitely achieve the expected result. If you want to receive fluffy rice basmati, then you should leave the instructions on the package - you will no longer need them.

Ingredients:

• basmati – 200 g;
• salt - to taste;
• water – 250 ml.

Cooking method:

1. Sort through the rice and rinse several times.
2. Soak the basmati for 15 minutes, slightly heating the water - this will help the grains reveal all their taste and aromatic qualities. At this stage you need to salt the water, but this is optional.
3. Pour the infused cereal along with water into a saucepan, turn on the heat to maximum so that the liquid boils faster.
4. As soon as the water begins to boil, cover the dish with a lid and reduce the heat.
5. After boiling the cereal for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the dish to stand for another 15 minutes. Do not open the lid or stir the contents of the dish.
6. Remove the lid and lightly stir the grains with a fork.
7. Serve the crumbly, aromatic side dish along with meat or vegetable salad.

Pilaf with basmati rice

• Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Number of servings: 4 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 328 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch.
• Cuisine: Pakistani.
• Difficulty of preparation: medium.

This version of crumbly pilaf is known as Pakistani pulao: here you need to use 2 types of rice grains and 7 spices. Traditionally, lamb is added to pilaf with basmati rice, but if desired, it can be replaced with any meat or even fish - in any case it will be delicious.

Ingredients:

• Basmati Gold (Mistral) – 200 g;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• brown rice (Indica Brown) – 100 g;
• oil (vegetable) – 2 tbsp. l.;
• meat – 400 g;
• carrots – 2 pcs.;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• petiole celery – 1 pc.;
• water – 400 ml;
• parsley – 0.5 bunch;
• raisins – 30 g;
• nutmeg – 0.15 tsp;
• coriander – 0.25 tsp;
• paprika – 0.5 tsp;
• black pepper – 0.25 tsp;
• cardamom – 0.5 tsp;
• cumin – 0.25 tsp;
• cinnamon – 0.25 tsp;
• almonds – 50 g.

Cooking method:

1. Heat the vegetable oil, pour it into a frying pan with high sides, and fry small onion cubes.
2. Add carrots, grated in large sections, followed by crushed garlic.
3. Add small pieces of meat to the soft vegetables and fry everything together until golden brown.
4. Pour brown rice into a bowl, add water to the ingredients, bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and leave the dish to cook for 25 minutes.
5. Add white basmati and all the necessary spices. Mix the ingredients and simmer for another 25 minutes.
6. Remove the container from the stove, add raisins and peeled almonds. Let it brew a little longer.

Basmati rice in a slow cooker

• Cooking time: 50 minutes.
• Number of servings: 4 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 143 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch.
• Cuisine: Uzbek.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Basmati rice in a slow cooker with chicken and garlic is reminiscent of the classic Indian dish biryani. It is similar to pilaf, but lighter, very bright and beautiful in the photo.

Ingredients:

• garlic – 1 head;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• seasoning for pilaf – 1 tsp;
• salt – 0.5 tsp;
• cereal – 1 multi-glass;
• oil (vegetable) – 3 tbsp. l.;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• chicken fillet – 300 g.

Cooking method:

1. Measure out required quantity basmati, rinse, add water and leave.
2. WITH chicken fillet remove the skin, cut the halves into portions, place in a multi-cooker bowl where oil has already been poured. Fry the meat on the “Fry” mode, without closing the lid of the appliance and stirring the product all the time.
3. Add chopped onion and grated carrots to the meat and fry everything together a little more.
4. Lay out the rice, leveling the surface. Pour the food with the water in which the cereal was soaked so that it rises 1 cm from the rest of the components.
5. Add salt and seasoning for pilaf (thanks to the mixture, you don’t have to pepper the dish).
6. Peel the head of garlic from the top layer of skin and place it in the main mass.
7. Close the appliance and cook on the “Rice” mode.

Basmati rice with vegetables

• Cooking time: 55 minutes.
• Number of servings: 4 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 128 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch.
• Cuisine: Indian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Basmati rice with vegetables is an unusual but very tasty side dish that can be eaten by vegetarians, using it as a completely independent dish, or by omnivores, putting it on a plate with a chop.

Ingredients:

• spices - to taste;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• green peas – 100 g;
• basmati – 200 g;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• water – 200 ml;
• corn - 1 can;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• broccoli – 100 g;
• oil (olive) – 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Let the rice cook for 20 minutes, adding twice as much water.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic cloves crushed with a knife. Discard them so that the garlic flavor is just barely noticeable.
3. Chop the onion and carrots and place in a frying pan. Sprinkle the browned vegetables with spices.
4. Add the peas and beans to the vegetables and fry them together for 5 minutes. Add corn and let cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Add broccoli, and after 5 minutes. fill the components with water. Simmer for 15 minutes, covering the container with a lid.
6. Pour the prepared basmati into the vegetables, stir, and leave the ingredients on the fire for another 15 minutes.

Video: how to cook basmati rice fluffy

Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything! How to cook basmati rice

The interesting oblong Indian basmati rice can rightfully be called the “king of rice”.

The incomparable aroma and amazing rich soft taste, even in the absence of any sauces and seasonings, will be highly appreciated by even the most demanding gourmet.

Basmati rice goes well with various spices and legumes

Basmati rice is unique chemical composition, thanks to which it has the most positive effect on the digestive system and the body as a whole. Even after heat treatment, the finished rice completely retains all its beneficial features, because basmati is prepared surprisingly quickly and easily, and always turns out crumbly and soft.

Story

Its centuries-old history originates in India, in particular in the Punjab region - the area between Pakistan and India, as well as in the north of the country at the very foot of the Himalayas. Thanks to the unique climatic conditions, namely the gentle sun, melt water from the peaks and unique soils, basmati rice acquires its unique “royal” characteristics.

However, despite all the ease of preparation, the “king of rice” still requires compliance with some basic rules. They are simple, but they are the key to success in preparing any dish from this type of rice, be it a delicious pilaf or a simple side dish.

Cooking: how to cook and serving quantity

So, all that is required to cook basmati rice is to place one part of the rice in two parts of boiling salted water and cook, sharply reducing the heat to low, for no more than five to seven minutes without a lid. Then the rice can be removed from the heat and, covered with a lid, just let it simmer for another 20 minutes. In this case, it is better to take a thick-walled pan for cooking, and do not open the lid while the rice is simmering, and you cannot stir it - we fill it up and do not touch it. This is the main way to cook rice for a side dish or as a separate dish.

There is also an interesting Indian way of preparing basmati rice for a side dish, which involves first pouring dry rice into heated oil and simmering it until transparent, and then transferring it to a pan and pouring salted boiling water (the proportions are the same). However, in this case, it is recommended to immediately cover the rice with a lid and cook a little more over low heat. You can find recipes that recommend pre-soaking the rice in cold water, but for no more than half an hour.

It is also worth considering that basmati noticeably increases in volume due to an increase in the length of its grains (up to three times), which is why it has such an interesting oblong shape. Therefore, based on two servings, you need to take 125 grams for a side dish, and 250 grams for a separate dish.

Spices and combination with other products

Basmati goes well with a wide variety of foods. In India, various spices (pepper, cumin, turmeric and many others), herbs (for example, cilantro, basil), legumes (mung bean, lentils), stewed and fresh vegetables and even fruits are traditionally added to side dishes from this rice, and you can also pour rice with lemon juice.

Basmati for salad: cooking features

But if you are thinking about how to cook basmati rice as an ingredient in a salad, then our advice is to cook it in large quantities salted boiling water at the rate of 2 liters of liquid per 1 cup of rice. Cooking time is about 15-20 minutes. Then you need to drain the water and rinse the finished rice under cold water.

If you try basmati rice at least once, you will forever remember its taste, which cannot be confused with any other. It would seem that there could be something special about the taste of rice, but there is! Basmati rice is said to contain special substances similar to those found in the leaves of the Pandana tree, which serve as an aromatic seasoning. It is not for nothing that the name “basmati” comes from the words “aroma” and “inherent from birth.”

For basmati rice, I especially go to the exhibition of Indian goods, which for some time now has been held twice a year. There you can buy Indian-made rice. Unlike other manufacturers, Indian basmati rice has almost no starchy flour, so it is easy to rinse and the water immediately flows clear. During cooking, the grain increases in length at least twice, the rice always turns out crumbly and at the same time not dry and really aromatic, with a taste of milk and nuts.

Often during cooking, as is customary, I add turmeric or saffron, which colors the rice in a beautiful sunny color. I’ll tell you in detail how to cook basmati rice.

Cooking steps: