What is Basmati rice?

Basmati rice is the essence of Indian cuisine and is known for its delicate flavour and distinctive aroma. Its grains are slender, long, and aromatic, making it the preferred choice for Middle Eastern cuisine.

How long do you cook basmati rice?

Cooking Basmati rice on the stovetop takes 15 to 20 minutes, and you can turn off the heat and cover it for 5 minutes. In the oven, Basmati takes 35 minutes to cook.

How do you cook Basmati rice on the stove?

To cook Basmati rice, bring water to a boil and add rinsed rice alongside salt and oil. Boil the rice uncovered for a few minutes before turning off the heat and letting the rice steam.

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How to cook Basmati rice

If you love Thai cuisine, learning how to cook Basmati rice is a fundamental kitchen skill. With the cooking steps below, you can achieve fluffy, non-sticky Basmati rice for delicious recipes:

Cooking Basmati using the absorption method

With the absorption method, you cook rice with just enough water so that it completely absorbs it while cooking. For best results, you need to know the correct ratio of rice to water. Add one cup to a bowl and rinse it well to remove the excess starch.

Soak the rice for 15 minutes. In a pot, pour water and let it heat up, adding salt, oil and spices to your taste. Add the soaked rice and let it cook for 10 minutes. When the Basmati rice is almost cooked, cover the pot and turn off the heat to complete the cooking process.

Cooking Basmati using the drain method

When you're using the drain method, you cook the rice with surplus water and drain it using a strainer when the rice is fully cooked. You can never go wrong with the drain method in your rice recipes since you don't need to know the water-to-rice ratio.

To cook Basmati using the drain method, soak the rice for 30 to 40 minutes and drain the excess water. In a pot, boil water and add salt as needed before adding the rice and letting it boil. You can drain the rice when it's 70 to 90% cooked, depending on the recipe. For a baked Thai red chicken curry recipe, the rice should be 90% cooked.

Tips and variations for tasty Basmati rice

If you are on a low-carb and low-calorie diet, you should try this Thai-style beef stir-fry. Besides, you can always spice up the recipes with delicious ingredients to elevate your family dinners.

Some of the tips and variations when making Basmati rice include:

Don't skip rinsing: It's tempting to put rice in the cooking pot without rinsing, but that would be a mistake if you're cooking Basmati rice. It's important to rinse the rice to remove excess starch if you want fluffy rice. Rinse until the water is clear.

Toast the rice: If you don't rinse the rice, toast it. This gives your rice a nutty flavour profile and chewy texture. To toast the rice, add olive oil to a pan on medium heat. Put the rice in the pan and gently stir until the grains turn white.

Use stock: If you want to make a flavoured rice dish, use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water. You can also substitute half a cup of water for coconut milk to add flavour.

Add aromatics: Infuse subtle aromatic flavours to the Basmati rice recipes for delicious dishes. Toss garlic and roughly chopped onions to increase savoury flavours.

What to serve with Basmati rice

Basmati rice is always a welcome addition to your dinner table, whether you cook chicken & haloumi butter masala or serve it with tikka masala or curry soup.

You can serve your Basmati rice with bean salad. It's a protein-filled side dish that goes well with a unique rice flavour.

If you're craving some Thai food, you can cook Thai chicken thighs to serve with your Basmati rice. Thai chicken is very tender and comes with an irresistible, tangy peanut butter sauce.

Alternatively, enjoy the rich, aromatic goodness of homemade chicken tikka masala. The complex flavours blend well with Basmati rice.

If you have been trying to eat more vegetarian meals, pair your Basmati rice with creamy lentils and kale artichoke saute. You can serve it over brown Basmati rice.

Creamy curry vegetable stew served with Basmati rice is also the perfect dinner dish for Indian food lovers. You can make the curry spicy with cayenne pepper.

Basmati Rice Recipes

Sweet Soy Salmon & Ginger-Coconut Rice

Lamb Shoulder Korma & Garlic Greens

Thai-Spiced Chicken & Broccoli

Indian Tamarind White Fish Curry

Thai-Spiced Pork & Sweet Chilli Veggies

Asian Sweet-Soy Pork & Veggie Stir-Fry

Quick Mild Sri Lankan Chicken Masala

Sweet Soy Pork & Ginger-Coconut Rice

Roasted Cauliflower Biryani

Indian-Spiced Paneer & Veggie Biryani

Golden Coconut Fish Curry

Beef-Pork Meatballs & Caribbean Coconut Sauce

Crispy-Skinned Salmon

Thai-Spiced Chicken & Veggies

Sweet Soy Pork & Ginger-Coconut Rice with Crispy Shallots

Mexican Black Bean Chilli & Garlic Rice

Loaded Mexican Corn Fritter Bowl

Thai-Spiced Pork & Ginger-Coconut Rice

Double Mild Sri Lankan Beef Coconut Curry

Hearty Moroccan Chicken & Veggie Curry

Caribbean Coconut & Black Bean Curry

Indian Prawn & Roast Veggie Curry

Quick Indian Coconut Beef Curry & Garlic Rice

Mexican Smashed Chickpea Rice Bowl

Roasted Pumpkin Bengali Biryani

Mexican Bean & Corn Burrito Bowl

Easy Sticky Caribbean Chicken

Loaded Beef Chilli Bowl

Hawker-Style Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry

Sri Lankan-Style Chickpea & Veggie Curry

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