I use Indian basmati. I wash and soak the rice (15-20 minutes) well first. I cook in a heavy-bottomed pan with the lid on, using a 1.5:1 water-rice ratio. When the water has evaporated I turn off the heat and let it rest for five minutes. I turn the rice before serving. When I don’t get undercooked rice, I get bloated sticky grains that are more reminiscent of jasmin. I want that perfect, soft, fluffy, non-sticky basmati.
I’ve tried following Julie Sahni’s example, in her famous book “Classic Indian Cooking”. It seems wrong to me: for example, she says “bring a large quantity of water to a boil in a deep pot. Add the soak rice, and stir immediately for half a minute … Bring the water to a second boil (it will take about 3 minutes), and cook the rice for 2 minutes.” Well, no – if I add the soaked rice to a boiling pot, it will take just a few seconds for the water to boil again, certainly nowhere in the 3-minute range. So which is it, boil for 5 minutes or just 2 minutes?
Further, Sahni tells me that after the 2 minutes, I should “pour the entire contents into a large sieve held over the kitchen sink. Hold the sieve under the tap, and let cold water run through the rice at medium speed for 3-5 seconds,” and then “return the rice to the pot … over the lowest possible heat, raised above the burner with a pair of tongs” and let it steam for 10 minutes. Well, aside from the fact that we have electrical hot plates in this country, not burners, when I follow this procedure, I get cold, hard rice. The lowest possible heat just doesn’t steam anything.
Might I get more consistent results by steaming or baking?
I make mine in the microwave. Using a covered pyrex dish (I prefer one that’s more rounded, to prevent chewy corners) add twice as much liquid as rice, 2 : 1. Cook for twenty minutes, let sit a few minutes uncovered, fluff. You might need to adjust the procedure a bit. My last microwave needed the dish to be uncovered just a bit. My new one does better cooking for ten, resting maybe five minutes, then cooking for another ten. Perfect every time.
One thing though, I almost never rinse the rice before hand. That could effect the ratio I mentioned, just a bit.
I use something a bit over a 2:1 ratio (but then, I live in a desert so 2:1 is prolly about right for most people), but I don’t soak the rice before cooking. When the water is boiling I rinse the rice and dump it in the water.
Also, I use about 1 teaspoon of butter instead of vegetable oil to keep the water from boiling over the edge of the pot.
Make sure you’re rinsing it until the water runs clear.
My usual recipe: one knuckle of water over the rice, pinch of salt and a dollop of oil, bring to a boil together, let boil for about five minutes, stir, cover, turn off heat, forget for 20 minutes. Basmati usually turns out good this way, IIRC.
If you’re using a big, thick pot, you might need to let it boil for less time, since it’s going to hold more heat and stay hot longer. Have you tried a different pot?
I use a recipe I got off the back of a bag of basmati rice. First clean the rice by rinsing in water until the water runs clear. Then use a 1.5:1 ratio of water to rice (this is at sea level). Bring to a boil. Stir once. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover and let sit for ten minutes. Then, remove from heat and let sit for five minutes. This process has never failed me (except when I failed to reduce the temperature to low) and it results in perfect rice.
I have never in my life managed to make any sort of rice on the stove that didn’t come out overcooked and mushy or otherwise inedible. Never.
This is why I have a rice cooker. The only difficulty is getting the proportions of rice and water right, but that’s not really hard at all. Basmati does seem to need a lot of water, I’ve found, you’d think it needs less, but no. Sure, it’s not the traditional way (though rice cookers are so common in Japan that if I were making short-grain sticky rice that it would be!) but it’s so much easier!
First, I have to admit I’m skeptical about you guys so easily getting “perfect” rice; I thought I was making pretty good rice until I went to a nearby restaurant that does serve pitch-perfect basmati rice – each grain is perfectly cooked, not heavy, not starchy, not clinging together, not completely soft but just so, and so good you could eat just the rice and be just as contented.
I’m going to look into those rice cookers, but I won’t give any credence to a machine that doesn’t have a specific program for basmati rice, especially basmati rice that has been washed and soaked. Every credible source I have encountered says that basmati must be washed and soaked to attain these properties, since the grains have a layer of soft starch that will result in stickiness and “mushiness” unless removed.
I think the OP may be overcomplicating the process. I get those big bags of Daawat Basmati from Costco.
If I just want plain rice, I put it in the rice cooker and use the first knuckle water:rice ratio. Turns out great.
On the stove, I’m usually making a rice dish of some sort, that includes vegetables, spices, and maybe some meat. There, I use 2 cups rice to 3 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat as low as possible (I use a baked enamel cast iron pot, which holds heat really well) cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes. I’ll check on it at about 10 minutes, and add a little water if necessary, stir it in, then let it finish.
I never cook it longer than 20 minutes. If after 20 minutes you still have extra water in it, take it off the heat anyway. You don’t want to cook off the water. Just let it sit, and the Basmati will take up the water w/out getting mushy or sticky.
I’ve recently started baking my basmati. I’ve got a two-compartment dish that works perfectly (this one); one serving of rice in one side, and the meat or fish entree in the other. Rice is in the proportion suggested by the package, plus a little extra water (if it says half a cup of rice and three-quarters cup water, use one cup water). I also add two or three crushed saffron threads and a dash of salt. Comes out tender and fluffy, with just a hint of crunchy tips on the top layer which, when stirred in, gives it a lovely texture.
I use the Costco bag of Basmati Rice too. I put it in a Pyrex covered dish (round) one cup rice, two cups water, some salt. I tried different times until I found that my microwave takes six minutes on high to bring the rice to a boil, but not overflow the bowl. Then I set it to the lowest power for 15 minutes. Then I stir it once and replace the top, and wait ten minutes.
Never hard, ever so slightly sticky, and still firm and not overcooked.
A pinch of saffron in the water turns it all golden, and gives a nice aroma.
I’ve also found that if you like a bit of extra texture & nuttiness to your rice, Basmati lends itself well to being briefly sauteed in a couple/few tablespoons of olive oil on medium to high heat until it’s golden colored. Then add water, reduce heat & cook as usual.
