"Basmati" in translation means "queen of aroma". This is one of the most expensive types of rice. Basmati grows - Indian lands at the foot of the Himalayas. Basmati rice is renowned worldwide for its pleasant, delicate, long grain with a smooth texture. At the same time, basmati rice is a healthy product. The versatility of its use as side dishes, salads, in soups, desserts, in baby food is simply amazing.
Recipe 1. How to cook white basmati rice
Making perfect Basmati Rice isn't easy. But to master the basics of the process itself is within the power of every cook. Following some tips, you can get soft, fluffy, crumbly rice, which will serve both as an independent dish as a side dish, and as a main ingredient for other culinary recipes.
The recipe is for 4 servings.
Preparation time: 30 minutes. Rice cooking time 15-20 minutes.
Required for the recipe:
- 1 cup (240 ml) basmati rice
- 1 tbsp ghee or other butter;
- 2 glasses of water;
- 1 tsp lemon juice;
- salt to taste.
Preparation, step by step
Step 1. Inspect the rice for rubbish. Rinse the groats for at least 10 minutes in cool running water. Rice grains washing removes excess starch and dirt particles.
Step 2. Soak rice in water for 10 minutes.
Step 3. The washed rice should be transferred to a sieve so that the glass water and rice grains dry slightly for about 10 minutes. This will strengthen the grains and keep them from swelling excessively.
Cooking basmati rice
Step 1. When cooking basmati rice, use a wide, thick-bottomed pan (utensil). Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and spread the rice. The groats are quickly fried for 1 minute.
Step 2. Add water, salt, lemon juice to a saucepan with rice and oil so that the rice remains white and does not turn yellow. Stir. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid, keep the fire to a minimum and cook for 15-20 minutes. The fire is turned off.
Step 3. This step is important. The rice is left under the lid for 10 minutes so that the rice grains harden, retain their shape and do not break.
Step 4. Open the lid and comb the rice grains with a long-toothed fork. When stirring, excess moisture will evaporate from the rice.
Boiled basmati rice, after completely cooling, can be stored for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a closed container.
The calorie content of 100 grams of boiled basmati rice, cooked in water, is about 110 kcal.
Recipe 2. Basmati rice with mushrooms
The recipe is for 4 servings. There are 207 kcal per serving.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup basmati rice (200 g)
- 1 tbsp butter or vegetable;
- 500 ml of broth or water;
- 300-400 g of fresh champignons or other mushrooms;
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped;
- 1 large onion, cut into thin slices;
- parsley and dill;
- spices for mushrooms (at your discretion);
- salt, a mixture of peppers to taste.
Preparation, step by step
Step 1. Prepare rice according to recipe 1 until it is cooked.
Step 2. Peel the champignons and cut into wedges.
Step 3. In a deep frying pan with a thick bottom, melt the butter over medium heat and fry the mushrooms, onions, garlic with the addition of spices and salt until the mushroom juice evaporates.
Step 4. Add the prepared rice to the pan and continue to fry with the mushrooms for a couple of minutes.
Step 5. Pour in broth / water, stir, close with a lid. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a minimum. Cooking for 18-20 minutes.
Step 6. Leave the cooked rice with mushrooms under a closed lid for another 7-10 minutes.
Step 7. Open the lid, add chopped parsley, dill and “air” the rice with a fork with long teeth and mix the herbs with the rest of the ingredients.
This recipe can be complicated by adding fresh vegetables to the mushrooms: broccoli, peas, green beans, carrots. A combination of equal proportions of white and brown basmati rice is possible in the recipe.
You can serve basmati rice with mushrooms as an independent dish or as a side dish for meat or chicken. The dish turns out to be tasty, aromatic both hot and cold.
Recipe 3. Brown basmati rice with white fish
Any fish is suitable for the dish, preferably sea fish, they have fewer bones.
The recipe is for 4 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 2 glasses of water;
- 2 tbsp. l. butter;
- 1 onion, large, peeled and diced;
- 2 tomatoes, diced;
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger;
- salt, chili powder to taste;
- fresh herbs for garnish (parsley, cilantro, mint).
For fish:
- 400 g pike perch fillet (pollock, hake, cod, halibut);
- 1 tbsp lemon juice;
- spices for fish, salt to taste;
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
Preparation, step by step
Step 1. Cut the prepared fish fillet into pieces and marinate for 20 minutes.
Step 2. Prepare brown rice according to recipe 1: rinse, soak, dry from excess moisture.
Step 3. In a frying pan with the addition of butter over low heat, fry the onion, chopped ginger until soft. We spread the pieces of marinated fish and continue to fry with onions for 2 minutes until cooked on both sides. Fish pieces, when fully cooked, acquire an opaque color, unlike raw fish. Carefully so that they do not fall apart, we take the fish from the pan onto a separate plate. We also take the onion and ginger with a spatula, leaving only the oil in the pan.
Step 4. Put rice in a frying pan with oil, add water, salt, mix. Top - tomatoes, cilantro, mint. Bring to a boil, reduce the fire to a minimum. Close the pan tightly with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the fire.
Step 5. The finished dish should be under a closed lid for 10 minutes.
Step 6. Remove the lid, "comb through" the rice with a fork and transfer the finished fish pieces to the prepared garnish.
The dish is served warm for lunch and dinner. We decorate the portioned plates with parsley sprigs.
Optionally, the brown rice is divided equally with the white basmati rice. Instead of the proposed ingredients, you can use more pungent spices and herbs. Basmati rice will be more flavorful and rich.
Recipe 4. Bean and Basmati Rice Salad
The dish is easy to prepare. It can be done in 30 minutes. The calorie content of the finished dish is 620 kcal.
The recipe is simple and straightforward.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 1 can of canned red beans
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil;
- 3 cloves of peeled garlic;
- 1 large onion, peeled and cut into rings;
- 1-2 pieces of cloves;
- a few sprigs of thyme;
- salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation
Step 1. Prepare rice according to recipe 1.
Step 2. Open the can of beans and drain the canned juice.
Step 3. Fry the onion in oil, add finely chopped garlic, a little thyme.
Step 4. In a wide bowl with a thick bottom, boil basmati rice for 18-20 minutes under a lid, adding salt and pepper. Leave the rice to steam under the lid for 5-7 minutes.
Step 5. Add red beans, fried onions and garlic to the finished rice. Stir.
Serve with a fresh sprig of thyme.
Recipe 5. Shrimp and Basmati Rice Salad
Basmati rice goes well with fish and seafood. This salad with the addition of king prawns and spicy herbs turns out to be very tasty and healthy. In addition, the dish is easy to prepare. The recipe is for 4 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 2 glasses of water;
- 300-350 g of king or other shrimp, boiled and peeled;
- 1 leek, cut into slanting strips;
- 4 nectarines or 2 oranges or 1 mango;
- fresh mint leaves;
- salt, pepper to taste;
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds (optional)
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable;
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or grape vinegar;
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced;
- 1 tsp honey;
- salt, ground pepper to taste.
Preparation, step by step
Step 1. Boil the basmati rice.
Step 2. In a bowl, mix oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, pepper, salt, a little mint leaves, stir until a sauce is obtained.
Step 3. Add the peeled and boiled shrimp to the salted cooked rice. Drizzle with sauce. Mix.
Step 4. Add the nectarine, leeks, mint leaves, nuts, pepper to the salad, chopped into wedges.
This successful and interesting salad is not only suitable for meals on weekdays, but will also be a decoration on the festive table.
