Basmati rice is rice fit for royals! The word “Basmati” in Hindi translates to “the queen of fragrances.” This long-grained variety of rice is arguably one of the world’s most preferred varieties of rice.
They have been extensively exported to several countries for a very long time. Basmati rice today has been incorporated into the cuisines of several countries, and therefore, there is a massive demand for this variety of rice even today. The demand only continues to escalate.
Basmati rice is grown initially in the Indian subcontinent. They are commonly found in the foothills of the great Himalayas. They are found in the fertile plains of India, specifically northern India and some parts of Pakistan. It is also commonly found in the Middle East.
There are different varieties of basmati rice as well. Based on color, there is commonly found creamy white rice, and there is also brown Basmati rice available. They are long, ranging between 6.6 mm and 7.5 mm in length. The dimensions depict the unit length-width ratio that makes Basmati rice remarkably distinct.
When the width is as little as 2 mm. you grab a bag of Basmati rice from your local grocery store and open it up; you will find it to be dry and separate.
When cooked well, the texture changes, and they become supple. Despite becoming tender, they do not split and are also non-sticky, unlike several rice varieties. The cooking process also results in them doubling up in length. There is still no increase in weight that is observed.
When the nutty aroma hits you, you know you have a great batch of Basmati rice sitting in front of you! Nothing beats digging into a piping bowl of fluffy Basmati rice.
Health Bytes About Basmati Rice
1. Why is Basmati Rice Good for You?
Like any other variety of rice, Basmati rice is also a great source of complex carbohydrates. As we all know, and it is a platitude by now, Carbohydrates are tremendously important for supplying a body with the energy that it requires for day-to-day functioning.
Therefore, rice is gluten-free and can be consumed by those who have this particular dietary restriction. It is also a great storehouse of nutrients like protein and vitamin B.
For those suffering from metabolic issues like diarrhea, basmati rice is a good option as it is found to have low fiber content.
2. Implementation
Like any other variety of rice, Basmati rice also has a high glycemic index, which can be detrimental to anyone trying to lose weight, suffering from a heart condition, or having high blood sugar.
However, to counter the high glycemic note that Basmati rice serves, one can balance it with high doses of protein-rich and fiber-rich foods incorporated into their diet. Thus, with a properly balanced diet, one can have basmati rice.
The pertinent question of cooking Basmati rice can be answered in several ways! There is no one-stop cooking method for obtaining basmati rice. You can use a pot, your trusty rice cooker, or even the good old instant pot! You need to realize that the perfect basmati rice bowl is not that difficult to achieve.
3. The Two Methods of Using a Pot for Cooking Basmati Rice
3.1. Boiling Method
In this method, the rice grains are cooked in ample amounts of water. The excess water is drained out after the Basmati rice has been cooked.
3.2. Absorption Method
Here, there is a very definite amount of water used to cook the rice.
It is vital to know that having rice not adequately cooked can cause stomach issues. This can happen if there is uneven cooking of rice.
Hence, the rice must be properly cooked before consumption.
3.3. Recipe To Make Basmati Rice Using a Deep Pot
Take 200 g of Basmati rice or 1 cup of rice.
Take 200 g of Basmati rice.
Get 500 ML of water ready.
Half a teaspoon of olive oil (any variety works)
A quarter teaspoon of kosher salt, or any amount according to your taste.
Keep the rice grains in a medium bowl.
Keep them under a tap with running cold water and start rinsing them. Ensure that you clean your rice grains properly. This can be best done by moving your fingers through the rice and placing the bowl under running cold water. I was hoping you could give me the option of using a fine mesh strainer for the same thing.
Once you observe that the water in the bowl containing rice is devoid of any starch, the water now looks clear and transparent; you know that it is ready. The excess starch must be gotten rid of.
Now, in 3/4 to 1 cup of water, soak the rice for 30–35 minutes. Let the rice rest.
Once the soaking has been done, strain away from the water and keep your rice aside.
Take a deep, medium-sized pot or pan and add 500 ML of water, nearly 2 cups of water that you had measured. It is integral to ensure that the paint you use has a good depth so that the water doesn’t spill out and create a mess.
Add half a teaspoon of oil. This particular step is not mandatory, and you can choose to do it only if you wish to. You may also choose to use clarified butter, or ghee, as it is called, or even regular water. At the same time, you can also add salt if you like.
Set the flame to medium heat. Allow the water in the pot to come to a boil, and once that happens, add in the leaf.
Allow the water in the pot to come to a boil, and once that happens, add in the well-rinsed rice.
To ensure that once you have added the rice grains into the pan, it settles down, use a wooden spoon or fork to give it a gentle stir.
Now you may choose to cover the pan with a lid so that the rice can now be. Please use a tight-fitting lid to ensure that the rice cooks well. If you see that the rice grains do not look cooked and the water has evaporated, you can add just about 2 to 3 tablespoons of piping hot water and stir the rice.
To cook perfect basmati rice, it doesn’t take much headbanging!
Now you may lower the heat by adjusting the flame and cooking the rice or allow the rice to simmer till you think it is done. When the rice has been put in water, it will have also been well absorbed. It should take about 8 to 9 minutes for the Basmati rice to be soft and fluffy.
If you are unsure whether the rice has been cooked, fear not! Just squash cooked rice grain between your thumb and finger. Or even fluff the rice to get an inkling of whether the rice turned out well cooked or not! All you have to do is rely on your sense of touch.
While biting into the rice, if you feel that it is not of smooth texture and there is some grainy feeling that you experience or some resistance, allow some more cooking time; however, ensure that you do not overcook the rice, as you do not want a bowl of mushy rice or worse, sticky rice.
Cooking the best Basmati rice is not rocket science. All it requires is figuring out the perfect rice-to-water ratio, the time of cooking, and active observation. That’s it. To make Basmati rice every time, you no longer have to bite your nails out of frustration. Thanks to modern technology today, cooking Basmati rice has never been easier.
This long-grain rice is also greatly loved as a side for different types of curries, as it is the perfect price for absorbing various flavors. This attribute of basmati rice also allows you to experiment with this fluffy basmati rice and try making different types of flavored rice!
3.4. The Ideal Rice-to-Water Ratio for Cooking Different Varieties of Rice Using a Pot
- 1 cup of regular basmati rice to 2 cups of water
- One cup of organic basmati rice to 2 1/2 cups of water
- One cup of brown rice (Basmati) to three cups of water
4. Using a Rice Cooker to Make Basmati Rice
One of the most significant advantages of using a rice cooker to figure out how to cook Basmati rice is that the Basmati rice recipe becomes much more accessible. The rice cooker, after all, is a very convenient device that makes life easy.
You no longer have to hover around the stove and figure out if the water has been absorbed or if the rice has been cooked.
The best-added advantage of using a rice cooker for cooking rice is that if you are accurate with the rice-to-water ratio, you will not end up with gooey rice or a batch of sticky rice. Making basmati rice is all about playing with the grain-to-water ratio as it changes according to the variety you use.
The general procedure remains the same. When cooking rice, whether it is Jasmine rice, basmati rice, or rice, the recipe for an excellent fluffy rice bowl is the same template, just the cooking time and water to rice ratio varies.
You can always freeze the white long-grain rice and use it. You can always take out this frozen rice as you step out to try working on a new rice recipe that might have caught your eye.
It is also important to note that to ensure the longevity of rice, you must store it in an airtight container in an excellent location.
It is interesting to note that if you wish to flavor your rice, you can also use any broth or stock for cooking the rice in place of water.
Basmati rice is superbly malleable in diverse flavors. Be it Indian, Mexican, or Basmati rice. As a base, basmati rice is perfect rice.
5. How to Make Lemon-Flavored Rice
The content that you can bear in mind is that sprinkling the rice with lemon juice can make it whiter and fluffier. The best part is that it doesn’t make rice lemon-flavored.
I like the other way of repairing your basmati rice. You rinse the rice well until it has gotten rid of the starch. Once that is done, you allow it to soak in water for about half an hour. While soaking again is not mandatory, it always helps.
Before you add the rice to cook in the rice cooker, ensure that you grease the pan of the rice cooker with oil, this ensures that post-cooking, the rice does not stick to the pan of the cooker.
If you want to add some flavor to the rice, you can add cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon. It is straightforward to attain flavored rice.
It is vital that once the rice is cooked in the cooker, you let it rest for at least five minutes inside it.
Once that is done, you can get it out and enjoy it the way you want. In a rice cooker, if the quantity of Basmati rice is increased, the cooking time is bound to increase.
As you might have started to love Basmati rice, we no longer have to worry every time a recipe calls for a bowl of it, as you now might have figured out how to cook it!
Last Updated on by Namrata123
