Sada Chaawal
Steamed Rice
VegetarianPrep 10 minutes, plus soaking timeCook 15 minutes
Fluffy, tender steamed basmati rice with separate grains, offering a clean and neutral accompaniment for savoury curries and dals.
Ingredients
Method
- Note the volume of 490 g basmati rice in a jug, transfer it to a bowl, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Cover with clean cold water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
- Add double the rice's measured volume of water to a heavy-based pot along with 13.5 g vegetable oil and salt to taste, then bring to a rolling boil.
- Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and slide it into the boiling water. Stir once gently, seal with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat, lift the lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Lift and separate the grains gently from the sides using a flat wooden spoon before serving.
Don't have something?
Plain boiled riceUse 2.5 times the weight if substituting pre-cooked rice. Fold in gently at the end of the recipe; grains will be shorter and less fragrant.
Peanut oilUse 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.
GheeUse 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.
Mustard oilUse 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.
Similar dishes
Basic Rice Recipe
Basic Rice Recipe tastes mild and clean like this dish, but it lacks the slight richness from the vegetable oil used in this dish.
- Same: Both are plain basmati rice dishes seasoned with salt and cooked to have separate, fluffy grains with a clean, neutral flavour.
- Different: Basic Rice Recipe uses 300 g basmati rice and only salt, with no vegetable oil, and it is cooked by the absorption method so the rice steams dry without draining; this dish uses 490 g rice and includes 13.5 g vegetable oil.
Plain Rice
Plain Rice tastes similarly mild and clean but lacks the light oily richness this dish gets from vegetable oil.
- Same: Plain Rice shares with this dish a base of basmati rice steamed until tender with separate grains and a clean, neutral flavour.
- Different: Plain Rice lists water and a small amount of salt but no oil, while this dish lists vegetable oil and salt without water.
Khuska
Plain Boiled Rice
Khuska tastes completely lean and clean, lacking the subtle richness the oil brings to this dish.
- Same: Khuska shares the same core base of basmati rice seasoned simply with salt to produce fluffy, separate grains.
- Different: Khuska is boiled without any fat, omitting the vegetable oil used in this dish.
Pilau Rice
Pilau Rice tastes warm and aromatic from cumin and bay, while this dish is clean and neutral.
- Same: Pilau Rice shares basmati rice and a steamed, separate-grain style with this dish.
- Different: Pilau Rice uses ghee instead of vegetable oil and adds cumin seed and bay leaf, while this dish uses salt and vegetable oil and no spices.