Spicy rice-much nicer this way

Dear reader,

I forgot to tell you. Yesterday I was in a lovely Indian families home. There was some cooking taking place and me being me sniffed it out enquiring, "Ooh, that smells nice, what are you cooking?"
This usually gets you a sample of the dish, oh I know all the tricks!

I enjoyed a plate full of the nicest rice with a bowl of yoghurt on the side.
I obviously asked the recipe and did it last night when I got home.

For years I have been boiling plain rice, rinsing it afterwards,maybe adding a bit of something after, egg fried rice, some vegetables but it always tastes, well, like plain, boiled rice. Now don't get me wrong, that's just what a recipes calls for sometimes but this is the new way for me.

Use one part rice to two parts water. So just use one small cup for two people and use the same cup for two cup fulls of water.

Rinse the rice first. I did this three times before the water ran clear. This removes all the starch and stops it being sticky and gloopy after cooking.

Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a saucepan and fry the following, you can use whatever you like out of these but an onion is a must!
Chopped onion, chopped garlic clove, (do not get cloves muddled with bulbs as my friend did once when a recipe called for 3 cloves!) chopped fresh ginger, a little chilli-fresh or powder, some cumin seeds.
For me, the onion and cumin are the must haves. I buy a big bag, dried, they last for ages.

Fry gently until the onion is golden brown. This is the key. It must go brown and slightly crispy.

Add the rice and stir around to coat it in all the onion and spices.

Add the water-turn down the hob to the lowest setting and put the lid on the pan. You can do this or get to a boil and then turn it off. Takes slightly longer but less fuel.

Return a couple of times to check and stir. Add more water (only a little) if not sticking.

When cooked as you like your rice, fluff up with a fork and serve. No rinsing as you did this at the start.

I am doing all our rice like this now. You can change the recipe to how you wish, perhaps adding some sultanas or chopped egg at the end or some cooked meat or prawns and making it a complete meal.

Enjoy. X