Free The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Rice the Indian Way by Prasenjeet Kumar

minute
    Cooking time: 20 minutes
    Total time: 21 minutes
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Natun Gud Ka Kheer (Rice Pudding with Palm
Jaggery)

    This is an out-of-this-world dessert from Eastern India with
such subtle flavours that you will just fall in love with.
    Ingredients
    Full cream milk-1 litre (2 US pints liquid) (4 cups)
    Rice-2 heaped tablespoon (washed well)
    Palm Jaggery (crushed) - 3 tablespoons
    Milk Powder-2 tablespoons
    Method
    In a heavy bottomed wok, bring the milk to boil.
    Add the rice which should have been washed well.
    Keep stirring on low heat making sure that NOTHING BURNS.
    As the mixture begins to thicken, add the milk powder.
    Stir well and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.
    Switch off the heat source and add the palm jaggery.
    Stir well.
    Note: DON'T add the palm jaggery when the milk is still on
the fire as this may curdle the milk.
    That’s all.
    Your Natun Gud Kheer is ready.
    You can either have it hot as some like it. Or let it cool
down, then put it in the fridge and have it chilled.
    Prep time: 1 minute
    Cooking time: 20 minutes
    Total time: 21 minutes
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Phirni (Ground Rice Custard)
    This used to be a favourite dessert of the Muslim rulers of
India.
    Ingredients
    Full cream milk-1 litre (2 US pints liquid) (4 cups)
    Rice-2 heaped tablespoon
    Sugar to taste - (start with 3 tablespoons)
    Milk Powder-2 tablespoons
    Green Cardomom-2 crushed
    Saffron-few strands dissolved in a tablespoon warm milk
    Method
    Wash the rice well and then let it dry.
    Crush the same coarsely.
    In a heavy bottomed wok, bring the milk to boil. Add the
milk powder.
    Add the coarsely ground rice.
    Keep stirring on low heat making sure that NOTHING BURNS.
    As the mixture begins to thicken, add the sugar, cardamom
and the saffron.
    Stir well and keep stirring for about 5 minutes or till the
whole mixture becomes like a thick custard.
    Switch off the heat source and pour the mixture into small
individual servings bowl and let it set.
    That’s all.
    Your delicious Phirni is ready.
    Let it cool down and then put it in the fridge and have it
chilled.
    Prep time: 10 minutes
    Cooking time: 20 minutes
    Total time: 30 minutes
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Sweet Rice With Mango
    Ingredients
    Rice-1 cup (washed)
    Coconut Milk-1 cup
    Water-1 cup
    Palm Sugar/Sugar-4 teaspoon
    Ripe Mango-1 (cut into bite size pieces)
    Method
    Method using a pressure cooker
    Place the rice, coconut milk, water and sugar in the cooker
and light the heat source.
    Close the lid and let the cooker come to full pressure.
    Reduce the heat and let the rice cook for 2 more minutes.
    Switch off the heat source and let the cooker cool on its
own.
    Take out the rice in individual serving bowls and decorate
it with ripe mangoes.
    You can either have it cool or at room temperature.
    Method using a thick bottomed pan
    Place the rice, coconut milk, water and sugar in the pan and
light the heat source.
    After the water boils, reduce the heat and cover the pan
with the lid.
    Keep checking occasionally to see if the rice has cooked and
all the water and the coconut milk has been absorbed.
    Switch off the heat source and let the rice cool on its own.
    Take out the rice in individual serving bowls and decorate
it with ripe mangoes.
    You can either have it cool or at room temperature.
    Prep time: 5 minutes
    Cooking time: 7 minutes with a pressure cooker; 20 minutes
with a pan
    Total time: 12 minutes with a pressure cooker; 25 minutes
with a pan
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Sweet Pongal

    Ingredients
    Rice-3/4 cup
    Moong Dal (Bengal Gram)-1/4 cup
    Jaggery ( Gud which is unprocessed sugar)-1 cup
    Roasted Cashew nuts-2 tablespoon (fried golden and then
chopped up).
    The method to fry the cashew nuts: in a small pan, add
about a tablespoon of cooking oil. Put the pan on your heat source. When the
oil heats up, add the cashew nuts and stir till they turn golden. Immediately
remove the cashew nuts to a plate and chop. Remember if you leave the cashew
nuts in