Topic: Interesting Read

[Curry King]

http://www.montrealfood.com/curry.html

I was getting all excited until I read that the main ingredient was Patak paste, intresting all the same.

[pete]

It is an interesting read
I'm going to give the basmati rice recipe a go
It looks really nice
I won't cook it all on top of the cooker
I can't get a gentle enough heat
It always catches and sticks a bit.
I'll cook it half on the gas ring, then the rest in the oven

[traveller]

I find that I can cook rice perfectly on the medium sized gas ring ( I have a 7 burner stove with 4 sized rings - 1 is a wok ring and then there are 3 other sizes)  I use the medium ring and although I have never cooked on gas before coming here, it is easier since after the rice boils, I set the gas to the lowest setting on the medium ring and 7-9 minutes later, I have perfect fluffy rice!!  The time depends on how much rice I have.  On an electric stove, the heat can vary so much depending on the exact setting.
Another observation, I cooked rice in a corning dish on the stove 2 nights ago (it is special range-topper series) and it didnt work as well...had rice sticking all over even with plenty of oil - it was a biryani rice.  Last night I used my regular non-stick and cooked without any oil and had perfect rice.  I really think non-stick is much better for rice.

Payal

[pete]

This is the recipe from the website
I cheated a bit and only soaked the rice for an hour
I used Knorr "Touch of Taste" as the chicken stock, watered down
I also halved the quantity
I simmered for ten minutes (with the lid on) on the gas ring, then transferred the whole pot to the oven for half an hour.
It turned out really well
The grains were soft,seperate and very tasty
So thanks CK, I'll use this again

Basmati rice

2 cups of rice
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom pods
Stick of cinammon
Chopped garlic (one or two tablespoons, or to taste)
One or two bay leaves
Ghee
2 1/3 cups of light chicken stock or water
Green peas (optional)

Begin by washing and soaking the rice. Around two hours is good, but more is okay. Try to make sure it?s at least 2 hours.

Drain the rice in a colander.

Put a tablespoon or so of ghee in a medium frying pan (making sure you have a fairly tight-fitting top) and saut? the cloves, cinammon, cardamom and bayleaves in the ghee on medium-high, stirring frequently, for about two or three minutes (once the ghee is hot but not sizzling or smoking). Add the rice and the garlic, and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, saut? all ingredients until the rice takes on a full, somewhat shiny look, about five minutes. Do not leave the rice at this point and do not stop stirring!

Add the chicken broth or water, and stir everything well to get any grains of rice that adhere to the pan in circulation.

Pull off a square of aluminum foil big enough to cover the entire pan, turn the heat down to the lowest setting without turning it off, then put pan lid down over the aluminum foil and seat firmly, aiming to let as little steam as possible escape.

Set timer for 18 minutes. After 18 minutes, turn heat off but don?t remove pan lid. Leave for ten minutes or so, remove pan lid, remove cloves, cardamom, bay leaves and cinammon, fluff up with fork, serve. If desired, add peas (frozen peas should be warmed in a little water in the microwave before adding.)

For softer rice, add up to about 1/3 cup water (making 2 2/3 C altogether). The longer you soak the rice after two hours, the less liquid you?ll need?after four hours? soaking a cup of liquid per cup of rice will be plenty. The worst sin is overcooked rice.

Here it is.
Look at those lovely separate grains round the edge!!
I've not made a "stodge" for months