Really similar to my recipe mate. I'm gonna try this next time I'm allowed to make a base (wife's call)

I usually do the baghaar towards the end. This way I deglaze the pan with the simmering base gravy then add that to the base.

Also, have you tried roasting your tomtoms before hand? I tend to roast them up with a sprinkling of methi, salt and black pepper. Then wizz them up to be used, seems to add a very nice flavour imo...

As phil said, nice to see the forum coming back again

Quote from: RobbieC on July 13, 2016, 06:11 PM

Sounds good mate! Liking the idea of dried shallots/garlic. Will add a nice savoury note i bet!

I noticed you remove the spices? When you refrigerate did you leave them in?

Most definitely -- I remove before serving but not before storing.
Anyhow, give it a go -- you may even be able to eat it the same day you make it !

** Phil.

Haha, I'm making a curry dinner tomorrow, will try adding some in the rice!

OK, in practice your method and mine are very similar, except I use a microwave oven throughout.  I have posted my method/recipe in another thread, but I will summarise here :

1) Wash basmati rice thoroughly, and leave to drain and to dry.
2) Heat 1/3 ice-cream scoop of butter ghee in a Pyrex casserole (with lid) in a microwave oven on full power for five minutes.
3) Add the whole spices (cassia, Indian bay (torn), star anise, green cardamom, at most two cloves, a little kala jeera, etc) and cook on full power for a further five minutes.
4) Add the drained rice, mix gently with the spices and ghee, and cook on full power for two minutes.
5) Add sufficient boiling water to cover the rice to a depth of 1/3 inch, add salt to taste and some dried fried shallot flakes and/or garlic flakes
6) Cook on full power for 12 minutes.
7) Remove, gently turn over with a spoon, add dissolved powdered food colouring (green (50%), yellow (35%), red (15%)) very sparingly and widely spaced.
Cook for a further 20 minutes at 10%
9) Remove, gently turn over to distribute the food colouring, remove all obvious large spice pieces apart from the cardamom.
10) Serve.

** Phil.

Sounds good mate! Liking the idea of dried shallots/garlic. Will add a nice savoury note i bet!

I noticed you remove the spices? When you refrigerate did you leave them in?

Only reason I ask is that since our method is basically the same, I wonder why I see such a large difference from leaving over night?

Because to me it's a night and day difference.. Maybe has something to do with the oven?

Who knows, as long as you get the right results, right?

Quote from: RobbieC on July 12, 2016, 01:42 PM

As with pilau rice, leave it overnight for best results.

Your last (throw-away) remark intrigues me, Robbie -- what improvement do you experience when leaving your pulao rice overnight ?  I cook mine in a Pyrex casserole in a microwave oven, run the latter at 10% for 20 minutes to "set" the colour, and then find it perfect.  Next day it is OK, but not noticeably better.

** Phil.

For me, it goes from mild scented rice to pilau rice, it's quite a transformation.

My method is different from yours. Without fail it's what 90% of TA's use up here (Scotland).

Try this out, you don't need to make a massive portion, just get an idea. I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised



Heat oil with heavy based saucepan over a low-medium heat. For two TA portions I'd use the following;

2tbsp of Veg oil/ touch of ghee as well perhaps?
1 medium sized piece of cassia bark
2 'nuggets?' (pull the wee pegs off) of star anise
2 cloves
2-3 cardamon pods.
Touch of salt, 1/2tsp?

Put all the spices except the cardamom pods into the oil, as they will deepen in flavour and lose their fresh qualities that they bring to the rice.

Cook, stirring frequently for about 3-4 mins? Just so that everything is nice and aromatic, you can add a touch of turmeric for colour at this point but that's entirely up to you.

Now add your rice and stir continuously (don't want the rice to brown) in the flavoured oil for about 4 minutes. You're basically infusing the rice with the oil.

Once that is done add your cardamon pods, as you probably know make sure to crack them open, back of a knife works well. Then what I do, is take it off the heat just for a minute, not long, just so it can cool down a bit. Then I add not boiling, but hot water to the rice and stir just a couple of times, the more you stir the more you bring the starch out of the rice, and it goes clumpy!

Bring to the boil then add the salt, cook until when, well, it's cooked!

Once cooked, give it a good stir, it won't smell amazing at this point but just wait. Transfer into a container and pop in the fridge.

Next day, open up and boom. Pilau rice, it gets me every time Give it a good stir as well, get all those flavours moving about.


I don't add food colouring to mine as it doesn't do anything for flavour. I'm sure there's better ways of getting more separate grains. Such as putting the hot rice out on a baking tray and using a fork move it around so the steam can escape then once cooled refrigerate.

Let me know if you try it, just my home recipe
 

 

For me, i use similar ingredients but different method.

In a saucepan over a very low heat add Whole Milk, a touch of turmeric and sugar. Heat through so the sugar dissolves and the turmeric can cook through, otherwise it's just grainy and slightly bitter.

In a separate bowl mix, Yogurt and mint sauce then once cooled, add the 'yellow' milk. Then refrigerate.

As with pilau rice, leave it overnight for best results.