How to cook basmati rice?
Experienced housewives know Basmati rice as a product that is widely used for the preparation of main dishes.A garnish of cereals of this variety successfully complements meat, fish, vegetable dishes. It is recommended to use it as an ingredient for the manufacture of pilaf.
Little about the product
The grain of this rice has Indian roots: traders from India brought it to the countries of the Middle East. The grains are thin, long (reach seven or more millimeters). As a result of cooking, the volume of cereal increases in length, while the swelling in thickness occurs slightly. Basmati has a sweet taste and spicy aroma. In taste, it is similar to the taste of walnut. It should be noted that over time, the taste qualities of this product become better: high-quality rice matures for about a year, top-quality varieties - up to ten years.
Grains are easy to rinse because they contain relatively little gluten. The product is characterized by a low glycemic index in the range of 56-69 (for comparison purposes, white rice has a similar indicator of the order of 89). Fiber contained in the product provides cleaning of the intestines, and also normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood. Glucose entering the body helps to restore energy. Starch, which occurs in this rice groats, is able to assimilate and digest progressively: this important feature is favorable for the process of sugar level regulation, which is important for diabetics. Such a product is environmentally friendly. He is not inclined to accumulate in himself the salts of heavy metals and other harmful substances.
The variety has an enveloping effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach: this makes it a product that is indicated for use by people suffering from a peptic ulcer or gastritis. Contains a number of vital microelements: potassium (without it, the full function of the cardiovascular system is impossible), phosphorus (restores bone tissue). For those suffering from diseases of the heart and kidneys, such rice is an indispensable element of the diet, since it ensures the removal of excess salt. This product contains folic acid, which is very important for women during pregnancy.
Rice contains a sufficient amount of calories (per 100 grams 347 kcal). However, if you do not use the product very often, it will not affect the slim figure.
Preparation for cooking
The cooking process is preceded by a preparatory stage. The croup is moved, as it is important to get rid of substandard grains. Then it is thoroughly washed several times until the cloudy shade of water disappears. Rice can be soaked for a short time, just 20 minutes. Water for these purposes is taken at room temperature. After the above time, you can start boiling. And the water is not required to drain, cook better in the same liquid. We give some nuances in the preparation of the product.
- A pot with thick walls is taken for cooking. Such capacity provides uniform distribution of heat.
- Boil should be on a quiet fire. Otherwise, the grains will stick to the bottom of the cookware.
- Groats can be cooked both in water and vegetable broth, milk, juice. However, the use of meat broth is unacceptable, since the grains in it can stick together.
- When the rice is reheated, its nutritional performance becomes worse. Therefore, in case of need to postpone the moment of using the product, you need to add more liquid, boil five minutes less and insist a little longer.
- If it is necessary to obtain a garnish of a denser consistency, the proportion of water and rice grains will be reduced. The option is 1: 1.
- If after lunch there was a side dish, then it should be placed in the refrigerator. Heat the product by frying.
Crumbly option
Since this variety is intended primarily for the preparation of side dishes, then to obtain a component of crumbly consistency It is necessary to follow such rules.
- Take the grain and water, respecting the proportion of 1: 1.5. Pre-dissolve salt in water to taste.
- Prepared rice is poured with liquid and placed on medium-sized fire. After boiling the flame should be lowered to the minimum level. The pan is covered with a lid. Its contents are brewed for about an hour.
- After the cooking process is completed, the fire turns off and the tank is on the stove for ¼ hours. After insisting the lid is removed. On the surface of the finished mass is carried out several times with a fork in order to release the steam between the grains. Add butter, sauces, vegetables to the finished garnish.
In the slow cooker
In a slow cooker, rice is cooked using the Cooking mode or the Pilaf program. At the end of cooking, the rice should steam off, so the appliance should be opened ten minutes after the completion of the selected program. This technique will allow you to get a crumbly and tender product.
With vegetables
To prepare the dish, take 2 measures of rice, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 eggplants, 3 tomato fruits, 4 red bell peppers, 100 grams of green beans,? cups of vegetable oil, a mixture of peppers, salt to taste. This recipe is useful in summer when fresh vegetables are ripe in the garden. Thanks to food products of such a combination, the body will be replenished with useful vitamins and microelements. The process of making this delicious dish consists of such steps.
- Vegetables are thoroughly washed and cleaned. Onions, carrots, eggplants, tomatoes are diced, green beans and peppers - straws.
- Rice grits are repeatedly washed. This is done until such time as the water reaches transparency.
- Onions with carrots placed in the unit. Oil is added. Roasting is carried out using cooking mode until the vegetables are browned.
- After their extraction, the following ingredients are sent for frying: Bulgarian pepper and beans in pods. The frying process is repeated.
- Roasted vegetables are laid out to their predecessors. The next is fried eggplant. When the eggplant is reddened, vegetables that have been processed earlier are added to it, as well as chopped tomatoes.
- The mass is salted according to individual taste preferences. A mixture of peppers is added.
- The resulting mass is stewed for five minutes. Grain is poured, which is distributed among the stewed vegetable components with a wooden spatula.
- No more than three measures of water are added, which is due to the fact that vegetables let the juice in and with more liquid added, the rice will turn into porridge. The lid closes, the Plov or Rice program is available.
- After the device’s sound notification of the completion of the cooking cycle, it is necessary to sustain the dish for 10 minutes for the rice to arrive. After the specified time, the dish can be considered ready: in this version it can be served as a full-fledged independent variant.
This dish is ideal for consumption by vegetarians or lovers of vegetable dishes. For the avid meat eater, the following recipe is more acceptable.
To learn how to cook basmati rice with vegetables, see the following video.
Pork pilaf
For two measures of rice should be pound ½ kilogram of bold pork pulp, 1 onion bulb, 3 carrots, 2 garlic heads, 1 tablespoon of pilaf seasoning, sunflower oil, salt. To obtain the finished dish should perform the following operations.
- Peeled onion is cut into small cubes. It is fried in vegetable oil (frying or baking mode is used).
- Peeled carrots are cut into thin bars (grated carrots are not recommended because valuable juice is lost). It is sent to the onion, with which it is fried together for five minutes.
- Washed meat is cut into cubes of medium size, which are sent to the vegetables. Added spices for pilaf. The meat should be lightly roasted until browned, the ingredient is mixed using a spatula.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt (if not enough, it is better to add salt later).
- Garlic is thoroughly washed, but not peeled.Scrupulously washed rice is sent to the bowl of the unit. Purely washed heads of garlic are inserted into the compacted groats.
- Pour water volume of 3 and a half measurements. After closing the lid, the “Pilaf” mode is activated, in which the cooking time is automatically applied.
- At the end of the program cycle, the pilaf should languish for a few minutes. After which it can be served.
Thanks to our recommendations, you can cook Basmati rice correctly at home quickly and easily.