How to cook perfect jasmati rice
Jasmati rice is a rice of Indian origin that is widely used in Indian cuisine, both on its own and to accompany other dishes. Cooking jasmati rice is easy but it is important to follow some steps so that the rice is loose, because unlike other types of rice, such as the round ones used for risotto for example, where the aim is to release the starch, in the case of jasmati rice you should try to keep the grains loose.
Here you will learn about jasmati rice, how to cook it and some tricks to make it perfect. To take this recipe to another level, try using Jasmati® Rice: riceselect.com/recipe/bangkok-rice-shrimp-salad.
What variety is Indian jasmati rice?
Jasmati rice is a long grain rice with a delicate flavor and soft fragrances. This rice is grown mainly in India, and also in Pakistan and it is in the Himalayan region where the best jasmati rice in the world is grown.
Another curiosity that you may not know is that the best quality jasmati rice is aged for several years before being hulled for consumption, because it cooks better the less water it contains and because this way its aromas are concentrated.
It is a long grain rice that has a lot of starch and although it is not usually sticky, if you want it to be loose, it is best to wash it first so that it releases its starch and the grains separate.
Cooking time for jasmati rice
Jasmati rice usually takes about 15 minutes from the time the water starts to boil, at which point you should lower the heat to medium-low. The rice is ready when it absorbs all the water.
The proportion of water that it needs is 3 to 1, that is to say, 3 measures of water for each measure of rice.
How much rice is needed for each person?
This is quite relative, because it depends on whether you are going to use it to accompany another dish or it is a recipe with jasmati rice as the main ingredient. As a general rule, if you only need it as an accompaniment, 7 oz (200 g) of rice will be enough (in that case you should divide the rest of the ingredients such as salt in half as well).
In the recipe we have put 14 oz, which is about two cups, because in these cases, recipes are made with leftover rice, as it can be used in any other recipe.
How to accompany jasmati rice
Jasmati rice is a perfect side dish for both meat and fish dishes. If you want to try it with an Indian recipe you can try chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, Indian kedgeree, or chicken curry.
Remember that jasmati rice can also be eaten alone in one of its many recipes.
A simple recipe to make at home
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 14 oz of Jasmati® Rice
- 1.2 l of water
- Mild olive oil or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 unpeeled clove of garlic (optional)
Preparation
- Wash the rice
- As mentioned before, a fundamental step when it comes to cooking jasmati rice is to wash it well under cold running water, so that it releases all its starch.
- To do this it is best to use a strainer where you will have measured the amount of rice that you are going to use for the recipe and leave it under running water, gently moving the strainer so that the starch is released.
- Cook the jasmati rice
- To cook the jasmati rice, once washed, use a saucepan, and put a couple of tablespoons of oil in the bottom, heating over medium heat.
- Put a clove of unpeeled garlic in the oil.
- Add the rice, and stir well with the oil so that it is well impregnated with the aroma.
- Add the water, which is usually 3 parts of water for each part of rice. That is to say, if you use 2 cups of rice, add 6 cups of water.
- Put on high heat and when it starts to boil lower the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 15 minutes, until the water has been consumed.
- Now enjoy this jasmati rice, which as you will see has a delicious flavor that accompanies many Indian recipes.