Boiled Basmati Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups basmati rice, sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
5 or 6 cups water

1. Put the rice and the water in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to boil until the rice is 3/4 cooked, about 7 minutes. (There will be plenty of water in the pot even after the rice is ready.) Drain the rice through a large fine-mesh strainer and discard the water, or use it as a base for soups, stews, or curries.

2. Return the drained rice to the pot, cover the pot with a small, clean kitchen towel (making sure that the overhang is 1 inch or less, or it may burn on the stove), then place the lid of the pot back on, over the towel.

3. Return the pot to the stove and cook on the lowest heat setting, heat until each grain of rice is fluffy and separate, 10 to 15 minutes. Or, place a griddle (or tava, see *Breads and Crepes of the Breads and Crepes chapter) on low heat and set the pot of rice on it. (Make sure the towel is well above the flame.) The towel absorbs all the excess moisture and the rice comes out perfectly cooked, with each grain separate. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest undisturbed about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, fluff lightly with a fork, and serve.

VARIATION: To salt the rice and finish cooking it in the oven, bring lightly salted water to a rolling boil then add the rice. Lower the heat, simmer about 7 minutes, then drain and transfer to an oven-safe serving dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook in a preheated 400°F oven about 15 minutes

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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