Saffron Rice - Indian Recipe

Ingredients:

(serves 6)

• 2-1/2 c. basmati rice
• 3 c. water
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. semi-skimmed (low-fat) milk
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads. crushed

Cooking Methods:

1. Wash the rice, put it in a bowl and pour over water to cover. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
2. drain the basmati rice and put it in a large pan with the measured water. Add the cardamoms, cloves and salt. Stir; then bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan tighly, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the milk in a small pan. Add the saffron threads and heat through gently.
4. Pour the saffron milk over the rice and stir. Cover again and continue cooking over a low heat for 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat without lifting the lid. Leave the rice to stand for about 5 minutes, then fork through just before serving.

Cooking Rice with A Rice Cooker

Rice cooking has a place in just about every culture around the world. Chinese food, home cooking, and Mexican food all utilize this wonder grain to make delicious meals. Instead of going out to an expensive restaurant to eat meals that incorporate rice, consider getting a rice cooker to make large batches of perfect rice at home. Boiling rice is great for quick fixes, but can leave rice gooey and overcooked. Authentic rice should be slightly sticky and somewhat firm. By utilizing a somple rice cooker, you can make batches of rice in no time. All it takes is putting a set amount of rice into the container, adding water, and turning it on. The machine will inform you when cooking is complete.

Automatic rice cokoing is the new form in many households. Breaking out a pan and boiling water just isn't practical. By having a dedicated machine on your countertop you can have a healthy meal close at hand. And when it's done cooking, the rice cooker will automatically enter warming mode until you're ready to eat. The non stick interior ensures that rice does not stick when scooping out. Cleaning is a breeze and simply involves removing the cooking chamber and rinsing it under water. Or you can place it in dishwater for a quick clean.
A rice cooker works by heating up the cooking chmaber with a heating element. The water inside reaches boling point and cooks the rice. After a pre-set amount of time it will shut off and enter warming mode. The rice can be kept warm for as long as you need it. The glass lid keeps a slight pressure inside the chamber to cook food faster. Is also prevents hot steam from schorching skin. Is is important to remove the lid at an angle pointing away from your face and body.

The rice cooking capacity ranges among models. For a samll family,a capacity of 5 cups is deal. Larger models can accomodate many people but are more expensive. Keep-cool handies ensure that users do not get burned if thr unit must be moved while cooking. By the taking the guesswork out of the rice cokoing, these cookers have paved the way for healhier and easier eating. Inside the cooking chamber are handy measuring lines to help you put in the right water/rice mixture every single time. There's truly no better way to cook rice to perfection.

Three Methods to Cook Rice

• Boiled rice - Boiling is about the simplest way. Properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. The water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains nutritive material. This water may be utilzed in the preperation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of years bread.

Boiled rice (sufficient to serve eight) 1 c. rice ; 3tsp. salt ; 3qt.boiling water. Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water.

Boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. Drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour colld water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. Regeat the rice by shaking it over the fire and serve hot.

• Japanesse Method - Rice appeared by the Japanesse method may be used in the same ways as boild rice. However, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the Japanesse method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal.

Japanesse method (sufficient to serve eight) 1c. rice ; 1-1/2tsp. salt ; 5c. boiling water

Wash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for 15 minutes. Then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for 15 minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. Serve in the same way as boiled rice.

• Steamed rice - To steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. Then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming. It will have a betterl appearance than rice cooked by other methods. As in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal.

Steamed rice (sufficient to serve six) 1c. rice ; 1-1/2tsp. salt ; 2-1/2c. water

Wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. Cook it for 5 minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. Keep the cooking untensil covered and do not stir the rice. About 1 hour will be equired to cook rice in this way. Srve in the same way as voiled rice.

Types of Rice in Asia

Long grain rice

Cultivates throughout Southeast Asia, this long slender grain is the favoured rice of Chinese. When cooked the grains seperate easily, are non-starchy and are perfect for dishes such as fried rice. Long grain rice is the most readily available and widely used rice in Western world.

Jasmine Rice

Originating in Thailand, this variety of this long grain rice is now popular throughout Southeast Asia. A lightly fragrant rice which goes well with all kinds of Asian deishes.

Basmati rice

The aromatic, narrow, long grain rice is grown in the foothills of Himalayas from Bangladesh to India. It is traditionally used for biryani and pillau dishes which incorporate the delicate flavour and colour of saffron and utilise the firm texture of the cooked basmati rice.

Short grain rice

These small oval grains, which are high in starch, are preffered by the Japanese and Koreans. Best cooked by the absorption method, this rice is sticky and the grain adhere togethere, making it easier to eat with chopsticks and to prepare sushi.


Glutinous Rice


White glutinous rice: this is the staple rice of the Laotians and northern Thaiswho use it as in accompaniment to savoury dishes. However its main use for leaf-wrapped snack or Sian desserts. The grains are short and turn translucent when cooked. Ill-named because it contains no gluten, it has a high starch content and is commonly called 'sticky rice' or 'sweet rice'.





Black glutinous rice: when the layer of bran left on the rice, it is an unsusual dark color and has a nutty flavour. It combines well with palm sugar, coconut milk and sesame seed and is popular dessert rice in Burma, Thailand, Indonesia and The Phillipines. For the best results, the rice should be soaked overnight.


Brown Rice

Traditionally in most Asia , because of its nutritional benefits it was given to the sick and elderly and was also commonly used as a cure for constipation. It wasn't eaten much by the general population as it was considered a food for times of poverty and war time shortages. Today it is a replacement for white rice in the diets of many health concious people around the world.