Coconut and Turmeric Basmati Rice
Basmati rice is special on its own, but it can be amplified even further with some simple ingredients. Turmeric (also known in Trinidad as saffron) and coconut milk adds so much richness to the rice, and at the end, I add some fresh basil to brighten the flavours even more.
At my home, basmati rice is always available on hand; it’s a pantry must have. I keep it on hand for 2 main reasons- 1) It cooks very quickly which is ideal during my busy weekdays, and 2) It tastes exceptionally well as compared to plain old brown rice. But what exactly is Basmati rice? Well this is a special long grain rice which originated from India and has a distinct smell and flavour. It exists in both the brown and white form. A fact to note is that ALL brown rices have more fibre in them which is why it is considered the slightly better choice when it comes to higher nutritional value. The reason for this is because brown rice contains layers of bran on each rice grain. To get the white form, these layers are removed by milling and ipolishing. One of the main reasons why manufacturers choose to remove this layer, is because it extends the shelf-life of the rice since most of the high fat components of the rice are present in these external layers.
Back to my recipe!! So, I usually make a Ginger basmati rice which I like to serve with my Asian Glazed Salmon, but on this day, I was looking for something different to try as a side dish. I was always fascinated by coconut rice but I also wanted to add that punch of colour which comes from turmeric (we call it saffron in Trinidad). The rice is steamed in the flavoured, vibrant broth which adds tons of flavour to each individual rice grain. And results in a creamy texture like no other.
Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice- washed
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric - Trinidadians call this saffron.
3 teaspoons salt
3 cups water
6 tablespoons coconut milk powder
5 basil leaves cut into chiffonade
2 medium chive, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Learning Time !
How to chiffonade basil?
Stack the leaves on top of each other, roll them tightly together, cut slices using a sharp knife.
Method
Chose a medium pot with a tight cover- you are going to steam this rice in all it’s liquid so you need a good cover to allow for this. I used my Rachael Ray’s 10 inch covered saute pan for this.
Heat the pan on medium heat and add the oil. Saute the onions, garlic and ginger until fragrant- about 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and continue sauteing for 5 minutes.
Add the water and salt. When this starts to boil, add the coconut milk powder and stir until dissolved. Reduce the heat to the lowest and cover. Let cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and holds it’s shape- Do not keep turning the rice with a spoon since this will break up all the lovely grains. Just leave it there and check a few rice grains after 15 minutes. If it has too much of a bite, then cover and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. You can repeat your check to test for done-ness. Switch off the heat and allow the rice to continue steaming while covered. Do not overcook to get soggy!
After about 15 minutes, add the basil and chives and fluff with a fork.
