Simple, boiled basmati rice is like a pristine white canvas waiting for colour. It can quickly and easily be transformed into a variety of vibrant dishes by adding different flavours, colours and textures.
Each of these recipes serves four.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 tbsp salt
300 raw basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 mins
1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil
Pour 1.2 litres of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then add the salt and the rice.
Keep stirring every couple of minutes to make sure the rice cooks evenly and the grains separate. An average, good-quality and properly aged basmati rice c ooks in 9-12 minutes, but follow timings as advised on the packet. Strain in a colander to drain off any water and spread on a flat tray to cool the rice the rice quickly. This is necessary to prevent the rice from overcooking.
Lemon Rice with King Prawns
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chana dal (split yellow lentils)
10 curry leaves or 4 live leaves (or 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped)
1 tsp ground turmeric
200g large king prawns, peeled and deveined
100ml clear fish stock or water
1 quantity of boiled rice (see above)
2 tsp salt
Juice of 3 lemons
Heat the oil in a pan, then add the mustard seeds and chana dal and let them crackle. When they start to change colour, turning almost golden, add the curry leaves and turmeric (if the turmeric starts to burn, sprinkle some water into the pan). Next, add the king prawns and stir fry over a high heat for about a minute, until the prawns have turned pink and are sealed. Reduce the heat and cover the prawns with the fish stock or water.
Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the prawns are cooked and most of the moisture is evaporated. Add the rice, salt and lemon juice and carefully toss to combine, without breaking the rice grains.
Quick Chicken Biryani
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 10 chicken thighs, boned and cut in half
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, mashed with a little salt into a paste
5 green chillies
21/2 cms fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
11/2tsp red chilli powder
2tsp ground salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp ghee or oil
2 tbsp single cream (optional)
6-7 curry leaves (optional, but they make a huge difference, so try to search some out)
1 tsp ground cumin
Seas from 5 cardamom pods
10 tomatoes, cords and split in two widthways
Salt
75g creamed coconut dissolved in 5-6 tbsp boiling water
Squeeze of lime juice, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed shallow pot or frying pan. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, curry leaves (if you have them), cumin and cardamom. Allow the spices to stew gently before laying the tomatoes on top, shin side down. Lightly salt their surfaces and spoon over the coconut cream.
Loosely cover and set over an extremely love heat. Much of the juice from the tomatoes will form a sauces, helped along by the creamed coconut. When this is coming along nicely, baste the the tomatoes with the sauce to amalgamate the coconut cream.
When the dish is ready - after about 30 minutes - the tomatoes should still have their shape and the sauce will be slightly separated but creamy in parts (if it seems too dry, add a little water). Squeeze over the lime juice, grind on the pepper and sprinkle with coriander.
Its best served at room temp. as a first course, or with devilled chicken, perhaps.
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