Basmati Rice

A easy, simple and utterly delicious basic one must have in your repertoire. I cook the rice over the stove rather than in my trusty rice cooker. I find the rice are more separate and more defined cooked over the stove. In the rice cooker, the grain then to be softer. After the rice has been fluffed, I transfer it to the rice cooker to keep warm. The delicious aroma wafting through the house.......

Ingredients
3 cup basmati rice
4 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon butter or ghee
1 onion, sliced thinly
2 cinnamon stick, broken in halves
6 whole cardamon pods
4 cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 bay leaf






Method:

Place saucepan over medium high heat. Add canola oil to pan, swirling to cover pan before adding butter or ghee. Adding the canola oil first will prevent the butter or ghee from burning.

Add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamon pods. Keep stirring until the cardamon and cinnamon pop and cinnamon unfurl, about 30 seconds.

Add the sliced onion and cumin seeds. Cook until onions are translucent.

 Stir in rice and cook, stirring frequently.

Cook until rice is slightly golden and opaque

Add water.

Add salt and bay leaf

Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat, cover tightly and simmer until all the water is absorbed.This should take about 17 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand for another 10 minutes. 

Fluff with fork or chopsticks. May be served immediately or transferred to an electric rice cooker set on warm.


Serve with curries, kebabs or even steak. Yum!