Rice - Which one do you use?

[Suvir Saran]

Thanks for sharing the microwave method with us JD. I am sure it will be used by many of us. It really is so simple. And if it is fool proof... why not use it.

Do you mind starting a new thread about Chilau in the Middle Eastern forum? I know nothing about that dish.. Maybe we all stand to learn about something wonderful. It would be a great treat...

[Suvir Saran]

JD,

I will look at my files and see if I can find you a recipe for making plain rice. Yes there are simple and fool proof methods for making rice on the stove top. They are easy and great. Let me see what I can find that I have tested and written already.

[ShawtyCat]

Hello Suvir,

I found this rice thread very informative. I am from the West Indies where dinner is not dinner without rice. I cook plain rice on my stove almost everyday and, like many other Bajans, I unfortuanely never measure when I cook. This is what I do to make plain rice:

2 cups of rice (parboiled long grain)

enough water to cover (water should be an inch above the rice)

Pinch of Thyme

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Pat of butter

1. Rinse rice until water is not cloudy

2. In a saucepan, add the pat of butter and sautee rice until translucent

3. Add water, season and turn heat to high

4. When water boils reduce heat to a low flame and cover

5. Leave the rice alone!

I usually check on the rice in 8 to 10 minutes. If most of the water has evaporated, (when you see only the rice grains at the top of the pot and hear a low bubbling noise) I will then turn off the flame and let it steam till its fluffy.

I have been cooking rice this way since I was 9 yrs old and it has always worked for me. I, and many other Bajans, have been known to only make rice, add a little butter and eat it as is. Call us crazy but it tastes good to us.

Edit: I reread my post and hope my explanation of this procedure is understandable. I learned to cook the same way many bajans do....I asked my mother how to cook this or that and I was given a list of ingredients and told to figure it out. This is why there are many...ahem "landmarks" to my recipes.

I think the most frequent mistake that people make when cooking rice is that they have this urge to stir the rice. It doesn't need stirring. When I was 11, I concluded that when you stir the rice you redistribute the water throughout the rice and it does not go to the bottom of the pot where it would evaporate and steam the rice from the bottom up.

Do you think that was an accurate conclusion Suvir??

Jodi

[oliva]

I always use a brand called Zebra Basmati which is imported from Pakistan I believe.

As for plain rice, for years, I have been boiling mine. I fill a pot with water (any amount) , let it boil and then add the rice. I test the rice after about 7 minutes to see if it will break into three pieces easily. It is semi-cooked by then. If so, I drain all the water (I don't like that starchy water, the 'chik') and then put the rice back into the pot, place a paper towel between the cover and the pot and let it steam for about 10- 15 minutes.

As a student, when we were pressed for time, we always made a rice dish made with chicken curry. It was our favourite comfort food, our version of a student's biryani, except it had no layering. You make a chicken curry (has to be really watery) and add rice to it when it starts to boil. It is simple and amazing, similar to paella, but a subcontinental version I suppose! Eaten with yoghurt and some spicy garlic pickle, it is amazing.

I also make a biryani with beef and mint.

[ShawtyCat]

As a student, when we were pressed for time, we always made a rice dish made with chicken curry. It was our favourite comfort food, our version of a student's biryani, except it had no layering. You make a chicken curry (has to be really watery) and add rice to it when it starts to boil. It is simple and amazing, similar to paella, but a subcontinental version I suppose! Eaten with yoghurt and some spicy garlic pickle, it is amazing.

Ahhh....I made this last night......I didn't know it was an Indian dish, I was just following how I was taught to cook back in Barbados. Is there a name for this dish??

[Suvir Saran]

Hello Suvir,

I found this rice thread very informative.  I am from the West Indies where dinner is not dinner without rice.  I cook plain rice on my stove almost everyday and, like many other Bajans, I unfortuanely never measure when I cook.  This is what I do to make plain rice:

frequent mistake that people make when cooking rice is that they have this urge to stir the rice.  It doesn't need stirring.  When I was 11, I concluded that when you stir the rice you redistribute the water throughout the rice and it does not go to the bottom of the pot where it would evaporate and steam the rice from the bottom up. 

Do you think that was an accurate conclusion Suvir??

Jodi

Jodi you are perfectly right. Stirring rice is not a good idea. It makes it too starchy and sticky. Thanks for sharing that great recipe.

What are bajans?

[Suvir Saran]

I always use a brand called Zebra Basmati which is imported from Pakistan I believe.

As a student, when we were pressed for time, we always made a rice dish made with chicken curry. It was our favourite comfort food, our version of a student's biryani, except it had no layering. You make a chicken curry (has to be really watery) and add rice to it when it starts to boil. It is simple and amazing, similar to paella, but a subcontinental version I suppose! Eaten with yoghurt and some spicy garlic pickle, it is amazing.

I also make a biryani with beef and mint.

I will remember this name... Zebra Basmati.. I have found the Pakistani rice much better in NYC. Thanks for sharing your favorite brand.

Your recipe for Chicken Pulao sounds lovely. It is exactly what one craves for most of the time. Biryaanis tend to get to be too fancy and cumbersome for frequent preparation.

WOuld you mind sharing the recipe for the Beef and Mint biryaani? Where did you learn it?

[ShawtyCat]

Oh...Sorry.. I am from Barbados, a small island in the West Indies off of Venezuela. We have a large Indian population there, along with Chinese, Japanese, Irish, British, German etc. I am still searching for a great Chicken Roti recipe.

How do you make roti without a tawa?? Can I use a griddle? And thankyou for the correct spelling of Pulao. That is what we call the dish Oliva shared but I never knew how to spell it. I think many Bajan's call it Pellau or something like that.

[oliva]

The beef and mint "biryani" is not really a "biryani" for those of you who are biryani purists! I make a karhai gosht (using chuck). I then layer this with steamed basmati rice and lots and lots of fresh mint. I place this in the oven for about 15 minutes. I serve this with mint chutney- ie mint, yoghurt, green chillies.

Suvir, when one is addicted to mint and meat, such recipes are sometimes created out of necessity!

[Suvir Saran]

Oh...Sorry..   I am from Barbados, a small island in the West Indies off of Venezuela.  We have a large Indian population there, along with Chinese, Japanese, Irish, British, German etc.  I am still searching for a great Chicken Roti recipe.

How do you make roti without a tawa??  Can I use a griddle?

I know Barbadoes... But what are bajans? What does bajans refer to? The Indians from Barbados???

Check the link below to read our Flatbread thread... maybe you can find some recipe ideas for flatbreads. Or post any querry you have about them. Maybe you can even share with us recipes for t he famous Roti from West Indies... Do you make them?

I use a griddle to make rotis. I have a tawa.... and often I am too lazy to pull it out. I also often end up making rotis or parathas in whatever skillet I find handy. But perhaps we can discuss breads in the flatbread threads... Here is the link

Flatbreads

[oliva]

Actually a genuine chicken pulao or meat pulao I believe, is supposed to be made with a chicken or meat stock. Making it with a chicken curry laced with tomatoes is I believe, not the genuine pulao.

[Suvir Saran]

The beef and mint "biryani" is not really a "biryani" for those of you who are biryani purists! I make a karhai gosht (using chuck). I then layer this with steamed basmati rice and lots and lots of fresh mint. I place this in the oven for about 15 minutes. I serve this with mint chutney- ie mint, yoghurt, green chillies.

Suvir, when one is addicted to mint and meat, such recipes are sometimes created out of necessity!

Oliva I can well understand. You seem the type of cook that is a natural and thus must be a favorite amongst friends. Your recipes are a treat. Thanks for sharing!

So am I correct in assuming that maybe you make a keema with the beef and then add rice and mint to it? Can you explain that recipe in some more detail please??

I hope I am not troubling you.. But your recipes are great. I am greedy for all you are willing to share. Thanks in advance!

[Suvir Saran]

Actually a genuine chicken pulao or meat pulao I believe, is supposed to be made with a chicken or meat stock. Making it with a chicken curry laced with tomatoes is I believe, not the genuine pulao.

But the difference really between a pulao/pilaf and a biryaani is that pulao/pilafs have rice and the curry cook together and in biryaanis parboiled rice is layered between a curry and certain other ingredienst and then that layered dish is blind baked.

Is that not the case in Pakistani cooking?

I learned how to make Chicken Biryaani and Lamb Pulao from a Pakistani friend a few weeks back. And I was relieved to see that they had the same style of preparing both these dishes as my Moslem friends in India.

And yes, for special occasions and when available readily, chicken or lamb stock is used to cook the rice in both biryaanis and pilafs.

What are your thoughts on this Oliva?

[ShawtyCat]

Bajan is a slang term for Barbadians or anyone who is from Barbados. Like Trini's are from Trinidad. We don't really call Indians...well ...Indians or Asians ...asians. Everyone is Bajan.

As for Roti...I am still trying to master them. As I said before.....I am usually only given a list of ingredients (no amounts either) from my mom and told to figure it out. So I am still trying to do that. I will definately read the thread on flatbreads.

[ShawtyCat]

Oliva I can well understand.  You seem the type of cook that is a natural and thus must be a favorite amongst friends.  Your recipes are a treat.  Thanks for sharing! 

I agree about your recipes Oliva. I cook but I feel as if I do not have much knowledge of cooking. I am learning very much from the India forum and would love to see more of your recipes also. I will be firing up my stove in 8 hrs and would love to try one.

[oliva]

Thanks Suvir. Actually I don't make a keema. I just buy beef, my butcher calls it "chuck beef", it is about bite size pieces of beef I would say.

Since the beef in this country can be quite tough, I first soften it (boil it, but I am trying to avoid using that word!). I add black cardamom, salt, black peppercorns, a lot of ginger, one tomato and 2 cups water and let the beef stew in this for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. If I don't do this the meat is just too tough. Once the meat is tender uncover the lid of the pot and let the water evaporate, you don't want to throw away any of the wonderful succulent juices the meat has been stewing in. Take out the black cardamom though.

Take out your karhai (wok) and add quite a bit of oil, this dish requires a lot ...

Add a lot of slivers of ginger, freshly chopped thai bird chillies, the meat and stir fry for about 10 minutes. Add more salt if you'd like, but not red pepper, I feel the taste of green chillies is unique. When the meat looks golden, add three chopped tomatoes and stir fry on high heat for a minute. Not too much though, otherwise the tomatoes get soggy, I really dislike that. Immed take off the stove and add lots of mint.

In another pot, add some previously prepared white rice, in a layer, layer with the karhai gosht, and then sprinkle lots of mint, layer again with rice, more meat and more mint....so on and so forth.

Place in the oven on 300 F for about 15 minutes. Use a teacup saucer to take the rice/meat "biryani" out of the pot and layer on your serving plate.

Hope this helps!

[ShawtyCat]

Thank you for the recipe Oliva....I am going to have to visit Penzey's online in order to find Black Cardamon. I know my supermarket will not be carrying that.

[Suvir Saran]

Hope this helps!

That was amazing! Thanks.

[BettyK]

What kind of rice do you use to make kheer? I'm preparing my shopping list. Thanks

[oliva]

Just a word of advice for the spice shoppers:

Please go to an Indian or Pakistani store if there is one near you to buy spices like black cardamom, I know that the prices online can be quite extortionate sometimes. Even the prices at specialty food stores are quite extortionate.

[ShawtyCat]

Thanks for the advice Oliva....I found an Indian Bazaar:

Pooja Int'l Inc

275 Main Street

Hackensack, NJ 07601

Ph:(201)488-4907

Do you think Penzey's Online is too expensive? Whole Large Black Indian Cardamom Pods 4 oz bag for $3.49.

Jodi

[oliva]

Do you think Penzey's Online is too expensive?  Whole Large Black Indian Cardamom Pods 4 oz bag for $3.49.

Jodi

Expensive? $3.49, I would say not, however, you will have to pay shipping and handling as well. If you found a bazaar best to buy it from there. It will be the real thing and you can also smell it to see it if has that smoky sweet fragrance. And remember to use just 1, otherwise it will overpower your food. Good Luck!

[oliva]

What kind of rice do you use to make kheer? I'm preparing my shopping list. Thanks 

I always use Basmati rice, once a friend of mine used arborio, but I thought it was too starchy.

If you like kheer you would love firni, also a rice based dish, except that the rice is crushed before it is added to the milk.

[oliva]

But the difference really between a pulao/pilaf and a biryaani is that pulao/pilafs have rice and the curry cook together and in biryaanis parboiled rice is layered between a curry and certain other ingredienst and then that layered dish is blind baked.

Is that not the case in Pakistani cooking?  

I learned how to make Chicken Biryaani and Lamb Pulao from a Pakistani friend a few weeks back. And I was relieved to see that they had the same style of preparing both these dishes  as my Moslem friends in India.  

And yes, for special occasions and when available readily, chicken or lamb stock is used to cook the rice in both biryaanis and pilafs.

What are your thoughts on this Oliva?

You are right Suvir in the distinction you make between pulao and biryani. However, I think when one refers to pulao in Pakistani circles, this usually means rice which is cooked in a stock such as chicken or goat, and there is no addition of tomatoes. ("Yakhni wale chawal", rice with stock)

Of course this word is used loosely and we refer to a lot of things as pulao, for example the chicken curry/rice concoction I spoke of earlier in this thread. My grandmother used to make the most gorgeous Kabuli pulao, but this did not use chicken stock and often we used to facetiously refer to it as the "fake pulao", ("phoka pulao!") even though it was scrumptious!

[BettyK]

posted on Jul 28 2002, 03:09 PM

I always use Basmati rice, once a friend of mine used arborio, but I thought it was too starchy.

If you like kheer you would love firni, also a rice based dish, except that the rice is crushed before it is added to the milk.

Thanks Oliva. Care to share a tried recipe for kheer and firni? Your beef and mint biryani sounds very interesting. I love mint but it's very difficult to find fresh mint (or any fresh herbs for that matter) around here. Don't talk about growing your own herbs...I don't have a green hand and it's just too windy here.

I always make sure to buy some fresh herbs each time I go to the big city.

Yakhni - yummy! This brings back some good memories. My ex-colleague used to bring this at work once in a while as a special treat and we would all dig in.

Can't wait to get my Indian cookbook back. I left it back home and my sister just found it and will send it to me soon. Anybody heard of Indian Delights by Zuleikha Mayat? It's the Indian cooking bible for South Africans.