Topic: Curryhell's Pilau rice - yet another recipe

[natterjak]

Hot on the heels of yesterday's success, I made this recipe again this morning, but in a bigger batch.  I used a 5litre stockpot which I warmed for 15 mins while the oven heated up.  I used the following ingredients proportions and it came out just about perfect:

- 6 large mug fulls of rice
- 5 TBS oil
- 2 litres of boiling water
- 2 TSP salt

spices, etc. more or less as your recipe but I didn't have any black cumin.  Really happy with this technique as it seems quite foolproof.  Although I expected to yield 6 portions it has divided into 8 takeaway trays (pic below), so I'm going to freeze most of it as I've heard you shouldn't keep rice at room temp too long.

[Les]

Looking Good natterjak
Do you do Mail Order ;D

HS

[curryhell]

@ HS  ;D ;D

Hot on the heels of yesterday's success, I made this recipe again this morning, but in a bigger batch.  I used a 5litre stockpot which I warmed for 15 mins while the oven heated up.  I used the following ingredients proportions and it came out just about perfect:

- 6 large mug fulls of rice
- 5 TBS oil
- 2 litres of boiling water
- 2 TSP salt

spices, etc. more or less as your recipe but I didn't have any black cumin.  Really happy with this technique as it seems quite foolproof.  Although I expected to yield 6 portions it has divided into 8 takeaway trays (pic below), so I'm going to freeze most of it as I've heard you shouldn't keep rice at room temp too long.

Not a lot i can say to that really  .  You've obviously sorted out your rice to liquid ratio in a way that suits you.  And that at the end of the day is what it's all about.  Do get some black cumin seed.  The taste is different and IMHO far superior to white cumin seed.  The pictures say it all mate.  Anyway, it must be fool proof.  I've been using for 20 plus years and  never had a failure .  I will revise the recipe in line with your suggestions to make it easier for anybody that wants to try it and include some pics to help along the way.

[mr.mojorisin]

just picked up Morrisons new food magazine....
and also maybe a nice handy tip.....
I see their tricolour rice is coloured with beetroot juice and turmeric
as most people throw away their empty beetroot jars when the beets are finished...
why not use this instead of red food colouring ??
worth exploring methinks 

[curryhell]

just picked up Morrisons new food magazine....
and also maybe a nice handy tip.....
I see their tricolour rice is coloured with beetroot juice and turmeric
as most people throw away their empty beetroot jars when the beets are finished...
why not use this instead of red food colouring ??
worth exploring methinks 

I'm ok with using red powder colouring.  It's use is fairly minimal and doesn't affect me in anyway that i am aware ;D.  I'd be a bit concerned if the left over juice imparted a taste on the finished article.  However, if you want to avoid using standard red food colouring a better alternative may be to use beetroot powder as a colouring but i'm not sure how readily available this is.

[mr.mojorisin]

I'm gonna try this at the weekend. having a curry party.lol
think the beetroot will impart a nice sweet flavour to the rice and colouring will be similar to red food colour sh1t but more natural.
Also, if i ever run out of red food colouring, this can be a nice handy standby
and price wise too..red food colouring approx ?0.75 per 38ml...Beetroot (including the beets ) ?1.20 per 340g

[curryhell]

I'm gonna try this at the weekend. having a curry party.lol
think the beetroot will impart a nice sweet flavour to the rice and colouring will be similar to red food colour sh1t but more natural.
Also, if i ever run out of red food colouring, this can be a nice handy standby
and price wise too..red food colouring approx ?0.75 per 38ml...Beetroot (including the beets ) ?1.20 per 340g

What, my recipe, the beetroot colouring or both ;D?  Let us know how you fare with it mr m.  My red food colouring 400gms @

[loveitspicy]

Trebled all quantities to make a batch for freezing.
Great taste, but had to add more water after the initial 15 mins, and gave it another 7 mins.

Matt

 Haven't cooked rice for a while now, have been brushing up on my chapatti skills 

CH how did the chapati skills turn out and what recipe are you using - and they soft?

best, Rich

[curryhell]

Haven't cooked rice for a while now, have been brushing up on my chapatti skills 

CH how did the chapati skills turn out and what recipe are you using - and they soft?
best, Rich

 ;D ;D Hi Rich.  I get the impression you've cooked them and they've gone hard???  A colleague of mine at work has that problem.  Why, i don't know.  Whenever I've cooked them they have always remained soft and floppy .  I always call them facecloths cos that's what the texture reminds me of .  Until recently i hadn't made them for a long while and i decided to use a recipe already on the site:
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=4988.0

i used medium ata flour and warm water (a tip from an Indian lady at work with many years experience of making them at home no doubt ) and used four heaped dessertspoons of flour and 1/2 tsp of salt.  I got 6 ping pong ball size balls of dough out of this amount.  The secret to a good chappati for me  is to roll it out to a MAX thickness of 2mm.  I use a tava bought for the sole purpose of chappati cooking which i heat on high until when i flick water on it, the liquid bounces around ( a heavy frying pan will do though).  Then i turn it down to a medium heat for the cooking of the chappatis.  Simply slap each one  on  and watch as they seem to expand, apply pressure with a tea towel which makes them puff up.  A quick look at the under side.  Once a few light brown spots appear its time to flip it over and repeat the process.  It should take no longer than a minute a side.  When cooked wrap in foil and cook the rest.  When i cooked them last week i used the recipe on the flour packet.  Pretty much the same with the only difference being the addition of some ghee.  I can post this if you want.  What i will say is, as with most bread, salt is a must.  In future i will add 2 pinches per chappati.  That should be just about right.  End result was eight lovely soft floppy chappatis now living in the freezer .  Pm me if you want any more info.  Happy chappati cooking

[natterjak]

Each time I cook this I seem to increase the quantity  ;D  Today I cooked a total of 19 portions, in 2 big stockpots (one 8l one 5l).  It just seems so much more time efficient to cook in big batches and freeze into takeaway trays.  Had myself a regular production line running and was surprised to find it stretched to 19 tray fulls (350g cooked weight each) at the end.  Now they're all freezing except one in the fridge for tomorrow.  Each stockpot had - 6 large mug fulls of rice, 5 TBS oil, 2 litres of boiling water, 1 TSP salt plus 1 tsp of each of the seeds and plenty of cassia bark and cardomoms & asian bay leaves.

Thanks for a very practical and easy recipe CH.