with cucumber, hard-boiled egg, and sambal chili.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 cups long-grain rice
1 cup water
1½ cups thick coconut milk
4 screwpine leaves, cleaned and knotted together
½ teaspoon salt
Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water until the water is not “cloudy” anymore. Drain rice and return to the rice cooker pot.
Add water, coconut milk, screwpine leaves, and salt to the rice in the pot, cover the rice cooker, and set to Cook. (Cooking time varies with the type of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
After rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice before serving.
Do You Know?
Screwpine leaves are also known as pandan leaves. An Asian ingredient used commonly in Southeast Asian cooking, these long leaves can sometimes be found in the frozen section of Asian supermarkets and can be used when cooking savory dishes and sweet desserts.
Indian Vegetable Biryani
In Hyderabad, India, this dish is usually named Dum Biryani due to the method of slow cooking (Dum Pukht), whereby the meat (usually chicken, mutton, or lamb) is layered with the rice and cooked under low flame in a sealed container.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons butter, divided use
3 shallots, thinly sliced
¼ cup cashews
¼ cup raisins
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups water, for cooking rice
½ teaspoon salt
Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water until the water is not “cloudy” anymore. Drain rice and set aside in a separate bowl.
Clean out the rice cooker pot and wipe dry. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the shallots and fry about 5 minutes until shallots turn soft. Remove and set aside.
Add the cashews and raisins and fry for about 2 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining butter to the pot. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, turmeric, and diced tomatoes, and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the rice and mix well with the spices.
Return the shallots to the pot, add the water and salt to the pot, cover the rice cooker, and cook the rice until done. (Cooking time varies with the kind of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
After the rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice and top with cashew nuts and raisins before serving.
Tomato Rice
This easy recipe uses tomatoes to flavor up rice. If desired, serve with curry and cucumber raita (a yogurt condiment).
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 OR 4
2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
½ cup diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups water or Vegetable Stock
½ teaspoon salt
Rinse rice well by gently swirling the rice in the cooker pot with 2 or 3 changes of cold water. Drain rice and set aside.
Clean out the rice cooker pot and wipe dry. Add the butter to the rice cooker pot, cover, and set to Cook. When the base of the cooker pot gets warm, add the cinnamon and fry for about 2 minutes, covering rice cooker occasionally in the process of frying.
Stir in diced tomatoes, water or vegetable stock, salt, and rice; mix well. Cover rice cooker and cook the rice until done, about 30 minutes. (Cooking time varies with the kind of rice cooker used. Most automatic rice cookers will switch to Warm when the rice is cooked.)
After rice is cooked, do not open the cover immediately. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to vent off the remaining steam. Fluff up the rice before serving.
Make Your Own Cucumber
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley