Topic: Pilau rice questions + Helpful Youtube video I found

[pg89]

I have followed many recipes and have a few methods of making pilau rice which turns out OK but it is just not the same as takeaways or BIR's. I am determined to learn how to get it EXACTLY the same, I can't see why it's not possible.

I typically use 500g of washed basmatti (tilda or badshah) per batch, with 5 cardomoms, 4 cloves, few bits of cinnamon stick or cassia bark, 2 or 3 fresh bay leaves and a tsp of cumin seeds & a pinch of salt gently fried in butter then simmered for 15 mins or so. I have experimented with various amounts of water and spices and I have used regular pots and rice cookers and even tried the oven method but the rice always comes out the same.

It is never as 'fluffy' as the restaurants and the smell is different. When I get restaurant rice it has an amazing yet subtle sweet fragrant aroma and is always light, fluffy and separate. My rice seems 'heavier' or 'chewier' than the BIR's and the aroma is not 'sweet and fragrant' but it smells bitter and 'starchy', its hard to explain. Interestingly the rice I make seems to improve after cooling in the fridge overnight and being reheated, but I know restaurants will scoop their rice straight out of the pot, especially as rice is meant to be eaten within about 12 hours from cooking for hygiene reasons.

I have found a youtube video demonstration from a restaurant owner making pilau rice which I found interesting, I would imagine if I tried making it as simply as this I would end up with a big pot of mushy starch!

Here's the link....  pilau rice dad 0001

Could getting that professional result with pilau rice be down to making it in a large quantity in a big pot?

Does anyone know where I'm coming from with this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated, Cheers!

[jb]

Very good video,I remember this guy he had another one of him talking about his base sauce,shame he hasn't posted more.I've always stuggled with rice,although I have had good results with Curryhell's method here....

 http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=6070.0

I think you may have answered your own question though,I also find my rice improves if I cool it quickly and then re-heat before serving.I'm sure this is fairly standard practice,I saw it myself when I had a lesson in a take-away.The chef simply put a portion in a dish,blasted it in the microwave and it was ready.I think they always have a steady supply of cold rice for other dishes like veg rice,biryani etc,using pipng hot rice would make these dishes too mushy.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I feel reasonably satisfied with my pulao rice : I can happily eat it with just lime pickle and raw red onion, which is a pretty good test as far as I'm concerned.  Put some ghee in the bottom of a Pyrex casserole (with lid) and add your pulao spices : star anise, cardamom (green), one or two cloves at most, some cassia bark, Indian bay (not European), torn into pieces (the tearing is important), kala jeera (black cumin), a little fennel, and any other whole spices that you think important.  Cook with lid on in a microwave oven for five minutes.  When the spices have been pre-cooked, add one cup of thoroughly washed (and then drained) good quality basmati rice.  Stir gently, then cook in the microwave oven for two minutes at full power.  Remove from the oven again and add 1 teaspoon of sea salt (or less, to taste) and sufficient water to cover the rice to a depth of 1/3".  Replace the lid and cook in the microwave oven for 12 minutes on full power.  Remove from the oven and check.  It should   be near-perfect : nearly dry, yet soft.  If it is not, compensate : cook for a minute or two longer if it is still too wet; add a little more boiling water and cook for a few more minutes if the grains are hard when chewed.  When it is perfect, fluff it gently, then add (very sparingly, and as far apart from each other as possible) a drop or two or green liquid food colouring, one drop of yellow, and a very small drop of red.  Place in a pre-warmed conventional oven at 80C for about 20 minutes to complete the drying and set the colours.  Remove from the oven, fluff gently to distribute the colouring and serve.

** Phil.

[pg89]

Phil (chaa006),

I tried your method and made the best rice I've ever made! It has perfect texture, light fluffy and separate just like the restaurant and the aroma is there! Can't believe how easy it is in the microwave!

I changed the recipe slightly, I used:

2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom
2 cloves
5 black peppercorns
2 fresh bay leaves
1 star anise
1 inch of cinnamon stick
pinch of fennel and cumin seeds
English butter

I poured the boiling water in so it just covered the rice by 2 or 3 mm

I will experiment with different spices although the above was fine, but it's the cooking of the rice that is the important thing and this method makes it perfect, I even skipped the last drying step!

Thank you Sir!!!

[Peripatetic Phil]

To pg89 : no, thank you,  Sir !  What wonderful complimentary feedback; I am truly delighted to learn of your success.

** Phil.

[pauly58]

Has anyone tried adding milk as half the amount of liquid ? I got the idea from Pat Chapman's  1988 Favourite Restaurant Curries.  It does improve the flavour & certainly the aroma.

There are a few good recipes in the book, he seems to have just been told about the base gravy method. My wife can make a very good 1980's vindaloo using his base method but it's to fiddly for me. His mix powder uses 14 different spices.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Has anyone tried adding milk as half the amount of liquid ? I got the idea from Pat Chapman's  1988 Favourite Restaurant Curries.  It does improve the flavour & certainly the aroma.

Also suggested in Dave Loyden's Undercover Curry.  Tried it once, failed to detect any significant improvement.
** Phil.

[Burning Ring]

Hi, I found the youtube video of the guy showing how to make his basic curry sauce (Gravy Sauce)
My first post on hers i hope it helps and is in the correct part of the forum?
Cheers and what a fantastic site cr0 is !

 basic curry sauce dad 0001

[curryhell]

Hi, I found the youtube video of the guy showing how to make his basic curry sauce (Gravy Sauce)
My first post on hers i hope it helps and is in the correct part of the forum?
Cheers and what a fantastic site cr0 is !

 basic curry sauce dad 0001

Hi Burning Ring.  Welcome to CR0.  Unfortunately we are currently experiencing a serious spam onslaught which may have delayed any reply to your post as new posts are lost in amongst the dross
Anyway, to answer your question, as the vid is about curry gravy it may have been better to have posted the info in the curry base chat section.  But no worries, you'll soon get the hang of the site.  Enjoy what it has to offer and keep us posted on your results.