| Rice is
an indispensable part of an Indian meal, an essential background to
a hot, spicy spread. Rice is easy to cook properly. Cook rice in
boiling water until tender, or cook by the traditional absorption
method. Wash rice in a colander, place rice into a saucepan, a size
that allows the rice to be at least 2 cm deep. Add enough cold water
to come 2 cm above the level of the rice, no matter what the
quantity of the rice.
Bring to the boil, boil until water
has been absorbed. Steam holes appear on the surface of the rice, do not
stir. Place a tight fitting lid on the saucepan, reduce heat to very low,
cook rice a further 10 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring. Test
rice after this time. Grains should be plump, dry and slightly sticky, not
wet or gluggy. Cook further if necessary.
Plain boiled rice can be served
with any of the curries or spicy dishes you make, as well as the more
creative pilau and biriyani dishes. There are many types of rice - long
grain is usually preferred for pilau and biriyani, with short grain
usually being used for creamy desserts. Long grain rice absorbs more water
than short grain so this should be taken into account when cooking it.
Soak rice in cold water before cooking it, to help seperate the grains.
There are a large variety of Rice
dishes in India. You can find the vegetarian and non-vegetarian rice
recipes here.
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