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Rice 101 Indian Cuisine
Rice is the mainstay of South Indian and Kashmir cuisines. In Uttar Pradesh and Punjabi homes, plain rice is served with Kadhi (Chickpea and yogurt sauce) on Sundays for lunch.
Rice Varieties Characteristics
There are over two thousand varieties of rice grown world-wide. In India, the rice paddy are sun dries. The husk is removed. For brown rice the bran is left on the rice. In either case, the rice is polished and sold for use by the consumer. The milling removes many of the natural nutrients. In United States, many packers add the nutrients as a last step before packaging.
The best variety of Rice world wide is Basmati Rice. This is a long grain rice. The short grain rice in India is used to make Dosa, Idli.
Rice should be stored in tightly secured containers in cool place. If you buy rice in bulk, freeze it for three days to kill any weevil or insect eggs. Transfer the contents into tightly secured jars, and store in cool place.
Let rice cool to room temperature. Put one cup of cooked rice in freezer zip lock bags. Squeeze out air as much as possible. Close the bag and store in the freezer. This will be good for three months. When needed, put the un-opened bag (with frozen rice) in microwave at high for three minutes. You will see the bag puff up with steam. Let it cool. The rice is ready to serve.
Should I wash rice before cooking?
This is the first question before you cook rice. Rice processed in United States is fortified with nutrients, washing will throw away these nutrients. Basmati Rice imported from India and Pakistan is not fortified. The
imported rice should be thoroughly washed and rinsed and before cooking.
Many of the modern Recipes date back over 500 years ago during Akbar period India Historical Recipes (Akbar period)
Khichri
Khichri was a favorite dish of Akbar, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. These Moghul emperors ate Khichri with Dahi yogurt. Rice and legumes are cooked together to make Khichri. The combination provides a complete protein for Vegans. Khichri made with Brown Basmati Rice and split skin-on Moong Dal is an attractive alternative to meats at low low fats.
Ingredients: Rice, Legumes, Ghee, and salt. Nuts and dried fruits optional.
Kheer What is Kheer?
Kheer is a stove-top rice pudding made with. The dish has religious significance. In North India, a mother in-law gives a bowl of Rice Kheer on Diwali to welcome new daughter in-law who may be blessed with a son and prosperity.
Ingredients: Rice, Milk, Ghee, Sugar, and salt. Nuts and dried fruits optional.
Plain Rice
To make plain rice, there are two methods used: Boiling Method, and Absorption method
Boiling Method
The rice is boiled in plenty of water, till rice is tender. After rice is tender, the water is drained off. In the olden days, the drained off water was saved and used to starch laundry.
Ingredients: Rice, Water, and salt.
Absorption Method Basics of Cooking Rice
The rice is washed, rinsed and presoaked in plain water. Rice is added to boiling water with salt and Ghee. The rice is cooked till tender and has absorbed all the water.
Ingredients: Rice water, salt, and Ghee.
Biryani
Biryani is derived from the Persian word 'Birian'. In Farsi, Birian means 'Fried before Cooking'. Raw Rice is fried in Ghee. Sheep meat is fried in Ghee. The Rice and Meat are layered in Handi forming clusters. The Handi is sealed and put on coal ambers to cook.
Biryani Food Fight Lucknow versus Hyderabad
There are nearly 30 different types of Biryani. Two most prominent are: Lucknow, and Hyderabad. For Lucknow Biryani, cooked rice and meat are layered in the Handi to finish cooking. For Hyderabad Biryani, raw rice and meat are layered in the Handi and cooked to a finish.
Pulao
What is the difference between Biryani and Pulao?
Long grain rice is soaked in water. In the mean while, the meat fried in Ghee and cooked with aromatic spices in a plenty of water. After the meat is cooked you have plenty of Shorba (broth). More water and pre-soaked rice are added. It is boiled and heat turned down to simmer. The rice is basically cooked in meat broth.
Ingredients: Meat, Rice, Ghee, Aromatic spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Bay-leaves), Nuts, Dried fruits
Tarka Rice What is Fried Rice (Tarka Rice)
The 'Tarka rice' is similar to the Fried Rice in Chinese cooking. A Bhagar is prepared with Ghee and cumin seeds, cold left-over cooked rice is added and stir fried.