Minted Basmati Rice Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• Heat chicken stock in a saucepan until boiling; keep hot until ready to use.
• Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and bay leaf in the hot oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir basmati rice into onion mixture until rice is coated with oil.
• Pour hot chicken stock into the rice mixture. Season with salt; stir.
• Bring rice mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add butter and fluff the rice with a fork.

Steps:

• Put the apricots and lemon zest in the 2 cups of cold water. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garam masala, and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water along with the apricots, lemon zest, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, wrap a clean dish towel around the saucepan lid, and cover saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove lid and fluff with a fork. Mound the pilaf on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, tear the mint over, and top with the nuts.
• Game Plan: Toast the nuts while the rice cooks.

Steps:

• Prepare the rice: Soak the rice in 3 cups cold water for 30 minutes to remove the starch.
• Cook the rice: Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add butter, onions, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook until translucent but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. To the pan add cardamom seeds, cayenne, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir, and toast until fragrant, 2 minutes. Then, add the rice plus soaking liquid to the pot. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Cover, turn off the heat, and let steam for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve.

Steps:

• To wash or not to wash rice? In the case of basmati, no matter what my preparation is, I always wash it. It cleans out any small particles and it also rids the rice of any starch on the grain. This starch makes the rice gummier when cooked.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, add the rice and 4 cups of cold water. Soak the rice for 1/2 hour.
• In a small bowl, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a baking sheet and put it in the center of the oven to lightly toast the spices and awaken the flavors, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the spices to cool.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the onion. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear the rice crackling, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved soaking water. Season with a generous portion of salt and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 8 minutes. Take a fork (so as not to damage the rice) and flake a few grains off to taste for doneness. It may need to be cooked another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to "rest" (as you would a roast beef) for 10 minutes before "forking" it gently into a serving bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, if desired, and serve.

Steps:

• Put the apricots and lemon zest in the 2 cups of cold water. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garam masala, and toast, stirring , until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and 1/4 of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water along with the apricots, lemon zest, the remaining 1 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, wrap a clean dish towel around the saucepan lid, and cover the saucepan.
• Meanwhile, toast the nuts and set aside.
• Cook the rice for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
• Mound the pilaf on a serving dish and tear the mint over it and top with nuts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer; rinse with cold water and then drain.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; Add ginger and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly; add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine; bring to a boil.
• Cover; wrap handle of pan with foil; Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, stirring once.
• Remove rice from oven; fluff rice with a fork, Serve.

Steps:

• Place mint stems, chicken broth and water in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish or casserole with tight-fitting lid. Cook, covered, at 100 percent power in a 650- to 700-watt oven for 10 minutes. If using plastic, prick to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Strain liquid and allow liquid to cool to room temperature. Reserve.
• Place onion and oil in the 2 1/2-quart souffle dish or casserole. Cover and cook at 100 percent power for 4 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in rice. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 1 minute 30 seconds.
• Remove from oven. Stir in reserved liquid. Re-cover and cook at 100 percent power for 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chopped mint leaves. Re-cover and cook for 8 minutes longer.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in remaining chopped mint, salt and pepper. Serve hot.