How to Cook Basmati Rice: Soaking, Ratio and the Pilaf Method

What makes basmati special

Basmati is a long-grain rice from India and Pakistan that grows at the foot of the Himalayas, mainly in Punjab. The name comes from Hindi and roughly means “fragrant”. Cooked basmati smells nutty and a little like popcorn. Its grains stretch lengthwise as they cook, hardly widthwise, and stay separate because they contain a lot of amylose, a starch that doesn't stick.

Traders often age high-quality basmati for one to two years before it goes on sale. Aged basmati cooks drier and fluffier than fresh. You also find brown basmati (whole grain) and parboiled basmati in stores, which is sturdier and has less aroma.

Washing and soaking

1. Cover the rice with cold water in a bowl, stir gently with your fingers and pour off the cloudy water.
2. Repeat three to four times, until the water is almost clear. Don't rub the grains hard against each other; basmati breaks easily.
3. Cover the rice with fresh water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Drain in a strainer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Soaking lets the grains take up water. They cook more evenly, grow longer and break less often. Don't soak for more than an hour, or the tips fall apart in cooking. Basmati also works without soaking; you then need a little more water.

Basmati in a pot: the absorption method

For 2 to 3 people as a side dish:

• 1 cup basmati (about 200 g)
• 1¼ cups water for soaked rice, 1½ cups without soaking
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp butter or ghee, if you like

1. Bring the water, salt and butter to a boil in a pot with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Add the drained rice and stir gently once.
3. Let it come back to a boil, put the lid on and turn the heat to the lowest setting.
4. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes without lifting the lid. The water is then absorbed, and you see small steam holes on the surface.
5. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff from the bottom with a fork. A spoon presses the grains together.

A few drops of lemon juice in the cooking water keep the grains white and fluffy. For brown basmati use twice as much water as rice and plan 25 to 30 minutes of cooking time. How to cook rice explains the basics for all types.

Basmati as pilaf with whole spices

In India and Pakistan you first toast basmati in fat with whole spices for a pulao or jeera rice. The fat coats the grains, so they stay separate and take up the aroma of the spices.

1. Wash 1 cup of basmati, soak for 20 minutes and drain well.
2. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp ghee or butter in a pot. Toast 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 crushed green cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf, a small piece of cinnamon stick and 2 cloves in it for about a minute, until the cumin is fragrant.
3. If you like, add a sliced onion and fry until golden brown.
4. Add the rice and turn it gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until the grains shine.
5. Pour in 1¼ cups hot water or broth and ½ tsp salt, bring to a boil, put the lid on and cook for 10 to 12 minutes over the lowest heat.
6. Let rest for 10 minutes, fluff, and take out the whole spices or leave them on the edge of the plate when serving.

The Malaysian Nasi minyak with ghee follows the same principle. If you use a ready-made blend instead of whole spices, you find notes under Garam masala.

The draining method for biryani

For Chicken biryani you parboil the soaked basmati in plenty of salted water, often with whole spices, for only 5 to 7 minutes. The grains are then soft outside and still have a firm core inside. You drain them, layer them with the meat and let both finish cooking, covered, over low heat. As a side dish you can cook basmati the same way: boil for 8 to 10 minutes in plenty of water, drain and let it steam, covered, for 5 minutes.

Common mistakes

• Stirred: The long grains break and the rice turns sticky.
• Too much water after soaking: Soaked rice needs less water. With 1 : 1.5 it turns soft.
• Soaked too long: After several hours the tips fall apart.
• Lifted the lid: The steam escapes and the grains on top stay hard.
• Served without resting: The grains are damp at the bottom and break when fluffed.
• Pot too wide: In a large, flat pot more water evaporates and the rice stays dry. For one cup of rice, a pot 16 to 18 centimeters in diameter is enough.

What goes with basmati

Basmati belongs with the curries and dals of northern India and Pakistan. Serve it with Dal tadka, Butter chicken, Chicken tikka masala or Chana masala. With Thai curries jasmine rice fits better; it is softer and slightly sticky.

You can buy basmati in any supermarket. Indian and Asian grocery stores carry larger sacks and aged grades. Check the label to see whether it is pure basmati. Store uncooked rice dry and airtight. Cool cooked basmati quickly, keep it in the refrigerator and eat it within one to two days.