Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Turmeric Rice : IHCC

Welcome Madhur Jaffrey! I Heart Cooking Club (IHCC) is starting with a new chef, Madhur Jaffrey this month, and we are going to cook from her recipes for the next six months. I was pretty excited when Madhur Jaffrey was selected as our new featured chef. Indian cuisine is one of my very favourite.  Since I cook Indian cuisine in my house from time to time, I have most of the spices stocked up. Though I have tried various recipes from other Indian chefs, I have never attempted any of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes before. 


Madhur Jaffrey
Madhur Jaffrey, our featured chef for the next six months

To start off our delicious months of cooking from her recipes, IHCC's theme for this week is "Welcome Madhur Jaffrey!". Any of her recipes can be used, and I think that it is appropriate for me to start off with a plate of rice! 


Being Asian, rice is a staple food at mealtimes, and usually when we have guests over for dinner, rice is always on the menu. So I have decided to cook one of Madhur Jaffrey's rice recipe, Turmeric Rice to start off my next six months of cooking adventure with her! Even though I have one of her books, (am eyeing two more!), this recipe is taken from Foodnetwork's site. 

This is a lovely rice dish! It is simple yet so tasty and my family really enjoyed eating this Turmeric Rice. I did increased the spices as I wanted it to be more fragrant, and I'm glad I did. I have always used 3-1/4 cups of water for 2 cups of basmati rice, which cooked to a perfect texture for me, so I used my own measurement. Different grades of rice requires different amount of water, so adjust accordingly. I cooked the rice in a large heavy saucepan with a lid. The spices and garlic are fried till fragrant, the rice is added in along with the water, turmeric and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and let it simmer over the lowest heat for about 20-25 minutes until cooked and puffed. Turn off heat and leave undisturbed for about 15 minutes. The rice cooked up fluffy and perfect! Fluff the rice with a pair of chopsticks or fork, then I transfer the rice to a rice cooker, switch to "keep warm", it will be all nice and warm until serving time.


I served the rice with another two of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes, a chicken korma dish and a cauliflower stir-fried, just perfect! Recipes for both the chicken korma and cauliflower will be coming up next week! Everything is delicious, I am really looking forward to try her other recipes!


Don't underestimate this simple rice, it is very good! This rice would be great eaten with any curry. I will most definitely be cooking this Turmeric Rice again.


IHCC



To see my friends at IHCC welcome dish, you may visit them here. If you would like to join us, you may get the full details at IHCC's Welcome! page.

I'm sharing this with :


Turmeric Rice
(source from : Foodnetwork, Madhur Jaffrey)
450gm basmati rice (long grain) (I use 2 cups)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves (I use about 6-7)
1 bay leaf (I use 2)
4 cardamom pod (I use about 7-8)
2-1/2 inch, piece cinnamon
2 garlic clove (peeled and finely chopped)
1/4 tsp ground tumeric (I use 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp salt (to taste)
22 oz water (I use 3-1/4 cup)
chives (chopped, garnish)

  1. Put the rice in a bowl and wash in several changes of water. (I soaked the rice in water for about 30 minutes).
  2. Drain and leave in a strainer set over a bowl.
  3. Put the oil in a heavy based saucepan and set over a medium high heat. When the oil is hot and beginning to bubble, put in the cloves, bay leaf, cardamom pod and cinnamon. Stir once or twice and put in the garlic. As soon as the garlic turn medium brown put in the rice, turmeric and salt. Stir gently for a minute. 
  4. Now add the water and bring to the boil. Cover tightly, turn the heat down to very, very low and cook for 20 minutes. Stir the rice with a fork to separate the grain and serve garnished with chive or spring onions.



33 comments:

  1. This looks so delicious, Joyce! It's lunch time and now I feel like Indian food looking at your rice, chicken and cauliflower. I am a huge fan of Indian cuisine and I look forward to seeing all the recipes you'll be trying out :)

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  2. Joyce, I can imagine how fragrant and flavorful this rice is. I am looking forwards to the chicken korma and cauliflower recipes!

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  3. Hayırlı sabahlar, ellerinize sağlık. Çok leziz ve iştah açıcı görünüyor.

    Saygılar..

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  4. Joyce, I'm getting exciting to see more Indian dishes in the future! I bought a bottle of tandoori sauce, was planning to make tandoori chicken pie but still haven't taken any action!

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  5. I'm going to try this now. It looks delicious and very healthy. I love your blog too. Thanks for sharing. God bless you.

    gift to usa

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  6. Definitely going to try this because I've been meaning to make one of her recipes!

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  7. This is almost exactly the recipe for Turmeric Rice in Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking, and very good it is. Increasing the spices only makes it better, more fragrant. The recipe in Q&E calls for 2 cups basmati and 2-3/4 cups water. This strikes me as slightly too little for rice that's not been soaked first. I didn't make a note about this, but expect that I used an amount more like yours whenever I've made this. Whatever, it's good.

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  8. Joyce, this looks good and I bet it is delicious. This is a a great recipe to try and I need some tumeric!

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  9. One of colleague has been also cooking a lot of turmeric rice lately.... I think this flavorsome rice will be great to eat with curry or even on its own!

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  10. My mom also love this turmeric rice. She usually serves this with curry, and with a glass of tea! :)

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  11. Does it have strong herb smell otherwise looks good.

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    1. Hi Chris,
      It does have a pleasant fragrant aroma from the spices, but it is not overpowering at all, really nice! You can use less spice, but then its the spices that makes the rice so tasty and fragrant! Hope you give this a try! Perfect with any curry!

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  12. A delicious rice, Blessings, Catherine

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  13. Very original way to change from classic rice !
    I'll taste it ;)

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  14. Joyce,
    My hubby like turmeric rice very much. He tried once when we are in Melbourne and like it very much.
    It is so nice to see you share this here. I must bookmark this.
    Am also looking forward to your chicken korma and cauliflower.
    mui...^^

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  15. I love tumeric rice ♥

    This is not glutinous rice, isn't it? I can't have much glutinous rice, it makes me feel bloated and uncomfortable because I tend to overeat, kekeke!

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    1. Hi Yvonne,
      No, this is not glutinous rice, this is basmati rice, usually cooked in Chicken Briyani which you can get from Indian or mamak restaurants. you can buy Basmati Rice from any supermarket. Yes, I try not to eat too much of glutionous rice, they are very starchy and so filling! But so nice to eat! :)

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  16. Looking forward for the next dish to complement this nasi.
    Aiyo I have to sabar dulu still have 15kg back to normal weight.

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  17. hi joyce, what a perfect dish you've chosen to start of MJ theme cooking!you made it sound so flavourful and good that i regret not staying nearby you!! then i can come and join you for dinner! do you know that i'm shaking my head reading you write ''eyeing 2 books" you bluff lah! where got 2 only? so many!!! LOL!

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  18. I love rice that has lots of flavor! This sounds wonderful.

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  19. It's beautiful , hearty and wonderfully delicious rice ! I'm sure Miss Jaffrey will like this dish ! :D

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  20. Wah sedapnya..a coincidence, i cooked Meat Pulau Rice too last weekend.

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  21. I love a gal who doubles the spices - after my own heart! Lovely rice dish, great pairing with the chicken and cauliflower.

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  22. Beautiful Rice. Goes very well with any curry dish.
    First time here from I Heart Cooking Club. Glad to follow you.

    http://anshu-mymomsrecipes.blogspot.in/

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  23. tumeric adds such lovely color to the rice. I just started using it and it definitely enhances any dish. Thanks for this one.

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  24. I have to try this rice, Joyce. It looks great & I love the extra spices you added. Looking forward to your chicken & cauliflower dishes.

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  25. One should never underestimate the rice. ;)

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  26. You cooked up a wonderful meal! I really like how you turned up the spices in the rice. I like to amp up the flavor too when I cook. The rice looks delicious. So glad to have you back at IHCC with M. Jaffrey.

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