Topic: Curryhell's Pilau rice - yet another recipe

[curryhell]

Personally I prefer the powder colouring as IMO it's easier to control how much rice gets coloured.  With liquid there tends to be a bleeding of colour and the end result is not as intense.  Plus it goes  a lot lot further.  And like Phil i believe the coloured grains "add" to the eating experience experience but do absolutely nothing to influence the flavour.  Try both and see what works for you mate.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Personally I prefer the powder colouring as IMO it's easier to control how much rice gets coloured.  With liquid there tends to be a bleeding of colour and the end result is not as intense.  Plus it goes  a lot lot further.  And like Phil i believe the coloured grains "add" to the eating experience experience but do absolutely nothing to influence the flavour.  Try both and see what works for you mate.

Where would I look for powdered colourings (small quantities, not catering tins) of green, blue, orange and yellow, CH ?  I have "Tandoori red" (full of carcinogens, of course) but no other powdered colourings.

** Phil.

[curryhell]

Personally I prefer the powder colouring as IMO it's easier to control how much rice gets coloured.  With liquid there tends to be a bleeding of colour and the end result is not as intense.  Plus it goes  a lot lot further.  And like Phil i believe the coloured grains "add" to the eating experience experience but do absolutely nothing to influence the flavour.  Try both and see what works for you mate.

Where would I look for powdered colourings (small quantities, not catering tins) of green, blue, orange and yellow, CH ?  I have "Tandoori red" (full of carcinogens, of course) but no other powdered colourings.

** Phil.

Asian corner stores / grocers are the best Phil.  They do in little plastic bottles of 25 grams.  Ideal for your rice colouring and lasts ages.  Normally no more than 50p a bottle.  Only trouble is once you start doing marinades and other stuff, this soon eats into it.  I have the large plastic containers you see in videos. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

If you struggle getting the little ones let me know.  More than happy to acquire and post.

You are a Gentleman, Sir.  I will try Messrs Crowhurst and Thomsett (who promised to try to get me some more cumin papadom when I told them what I thought of the Sharwoods that were all that they had in stock !), and if no luck I will indeed let you know.

** Phil.

[curryhell]

If you struggle getting the little ones let me know.  More than happy to acquire and post.

You are a Gentleman, Sir.  I will try Messrs Crowhurst and Thomsett (who promised to try to get me some more cumin papadom when I told them what I thought of the Sharwoods that were all that they had in stock !), and if no luck I will indeed let you know.

** Phil.

I would advise Mr Singh's or Gupta's Emporium rather than Messrs Crowhurst and Thomsett  Phill   ;D.  PM me with your requirements if they don't come up with the goods

[Peripatetic Phil]

I would advise Mr Singh's or Gupta's Emporium rather than Messrs Crowhurst and Thomsett  Phill   ;D.  PM me with your requirements if they don't come up with the goods

Despite the English aristocratic naming, Messrs Crowhurst and Thomsett is owned and run by an extremely helpful Indian couple and their sons.  And whilst perhaps not stocking everything that Messrs Singh's or Gupta's emporia might carry, they don't do badly considering they are catering to a primarily rural farming community !

** Phil.

[Willyeckerslike]

I made this for the first time last night & I must say it was really easy.  I made it to spec apart from the black cardamon.
This will be my main recipe from now on it turned out that good . 

Thanks for posting the recipe Curryhell

[curryhell]

I made this for the first time last night & I must say it was really easy.  I made it to spec apart from the black cardamon.
This will be my main recipe from now on it turned out that good . 

Thanks for posting the recipe Curryhell

Glad it worked for you Will.  What i like about the recipe, besides the flavour and the end result, is the minimum effort IMO. It can be left to do its own thing while you busy yourself with prep or cooking the main event ;D. 

[Willyeckerslike]

Hi,

I made this again tonight(for about the 5th time)
perfect Pilau Rice, as good as and in fact better than my local favourite resteraunts

thanks again curryhell

Will

[emann]

Hi,

I have tried this recipe for three times now in a gas oven and positioned in the middle.

The aroma of the rice is great and the taste resembles very well to my local TA.

The only thing, and a major one dreadfully, is that I cannot get the timing and water amount right in all three trials.  First of all it is taking me way more than 12-15 min as advised in the recipe - at 15min, when i taste some rice, it is still too hard.  I add some water to ensure it does not burn and stick to the pan and try it out every 3-5 min and maybe top it up with a tiny amount of water....unfortunatley, by the time i take it out, mix the food colour and leave for the last few minutes....voila...the rice seems to come out over cooked and instead of having separate grains and being fluffy, i sort of finish with rice in lumps.  Mind you, the taste and the hardness are just great but when i cook rice by boiling, the texture comes out much different.

Any help as to how I may overcome this issue.

Regards,
emann