Basmati Rice is aromatic, and long-grained rice that is popular in Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is widely used to make biryani, pulao, and other flavored rice. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to cook Basmati Rice with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe below to make the cooking process simple and clear. The method shared here to cook Basmati Rice delivers fluffier, light, and long-grained rice. It pairs perfectly great with Indian curries and side dishes for lunch and dinner. And the best part is it comes in under 30 minutes.
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What is Basmati Rice?
Basmati Rice is a fragrant, and long-grained rice produced in India and Pakistan. The term Basmati is a Hindi word that translates to fragrance or aroma. Basmati rice naturally has a Pandan leaf-like aroma that makes it unique from other rice varieties. And it is widely used to make Biryani, Pulao, and other flavored rice for a rich meal in India and other neighboring countries.
Now you know about Basmati Rice, and next, you may wonder how to cook them perfectly. Cooking Basmati Rice is not that tricky if you follow the key factors. According to me, good aged Basmati Rice, perfect rice water ratio, and cooking temperature are the three things that help you to make light, fluffier, and long-grained cooked rice.
Here I have shared an easy and the fastest way to cook a no mushy, no sticky, and absolutely long and fluffier Basmati. I have also shared some tips, ideas, and what to serve with it to make an enjoyable meal at home.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make the perfect Basmati Rice is simple. They are just 2 ingredients that can be easily available in Indian grocery stores around. So let's see what are they below.
- Basmati Rice - I have used aged extra long grain Basmati Rice. Usually, aged Basmati Rice delivers a fluffier, light, and separated look to your cooked rice. You may find a lot of brands for basmati rice in the Indian grocery stores around. But personally, I have used Lakshmi, Royal, and Dawaat brands that always gave me perfect desired results when cooked. And I always prefer to go with aged extra long rice for cooking or making, biryanis, pulaos, and other flavored rice
- Water - Filtered water to cook the Basmati Rice
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below.
How to Cook Basmati Rice?
The recipe I have shared here is How to cook Basmati Rice. The method I have shared here is a basic and easy absorption method. Please feel free to take a look at the tips section for more ideas to cook the perfect Basmati Rice.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Wash and Rinse - Rinse the Basmati Rice with cold tap water until the water runs clear. Drain the water and reserve it for later use ( Note: This will help to remove the excess starch and other debris from rice)
- Bring Water to Boil - In a wide pot with medium heat, pour 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil (using a wide pot helps to cook the rice evenly)
- Add - Now add the washed and drained Basmati Rice into the water. Give it a gentle mix
- Cook - Allow the rice to cook until the edges and middle are bubbling
- Rice Check - By now the rice would been cooked to 70%. The rice would be turned long, and if you press it with your fingers, it would break
- Simmer - Now simmer the heat to low, close the pan with its lid, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed (Note: Make sure the lid is tight enough and there is no steam escaping)
- Rest - Once all the water is absorbed, switch off the heat and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes
- Open and Fluff - Open the lid and fluff the cooked Basmati Rice gently with a fork or spatula. Now the fluffy, tender and soft-cooked Basmati Rice is ready for you to taste and enjoy
Basmati Rice Water Ratio
The perfect Basmati Rice to water is 1: 1½ cup that delivers a light, and fluffy cooked rice. The rice water ratio is one of the most important factors to achieve the best results. Since I have cooked the basmati rice using the absorption method, the above-mentioned ratio is ideal for the desired results.
Calories
This cooked Basmati Rice that I have shared here contains 338 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you have extra add-ins. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Is this the same way to cook Basmati Rice for Biryani?
No, this method is exclusively for serving rice with curries, and other side dishes. Since the rice is already cooked well, it cannot be used for making or layering the biryani. For Biryani, the rice should be boiled along with aromatics like cumin, bay leaves, cloves, and other Indian whole spices up to 70%. Then the rice is drained and layered with veggies or meat of your choice.
You could also check our Mughlai Chicken Biryani to know how to cook this rice for making layered dum biryani.
Tips
- How to choose Basmati Rice - Always look for Basmati Rice that has labeled aged in the package. Aged rice usually has less moisture content due to the aging process. It always stays separated and looks good after cooking which results in a fluffier texture. While new rice is nothing but newly harvested rice that has more moisture content. And they tend to turn sticky if cooked with more or the same amount of water suggested for aged rice
- Long Grain - You can feel free to use long, or extra long grain basmati rice. But personally, I prefer to use extra long grain basmati rice for biryanis and pulaos as it delivers an appealing and rich look
- Rinsing - According to me, rinsing basmati rice is one of the basic steps to clean it from residues and debris. I also suggest washing and rinsing until the water runs clear which also helps to remove the excess starch. Doing this helps to achieve the fluffier and separated texture of your cooked rice
- Temperature - Always cook the basmati rice on medium heat until it cooks up to 70%. This is the stage when the water bubbles at the edges and middle. And always make sure to simmer the heat to low once you put the lid on. This helps the rice to cook evenly and avoid burning at the bottom of the pan
- Pot - I recommend using a wide bottom pan for cooking the basmati rice, as it gives enough room to cook the rice. If the pot is small and there is no space to cook then the rice would cook unevenly. That is the bottom would be mushy and the top layer stays uncooked
- Extra flavorings - Even though plain basmati rice is enjoyed with curries, you can also add some flavors to enhance its taste. Feel free to add a tsp of cumin seeds, and salt to taste for easy cumin or jeera rice. Sometimes, I also add some bay leaves, cumin, frozen peas, and a dash of ghee before bringing the water to boil for simple peas pulao
Storage Suggestions
The leftovers stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a closed container. But if you are planning to freeze then I recommend storing it in a single portion airtight container or zip lock bags. And it stays good for up to 2 months. Reheat the frozen rice loosely covered in a microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until it is heated evenly. If the rice is too dry, then feel free to sprinkle 2 tbsp of water before heating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Cooked Basmati Rice with your favorite Indian curries like chicken curry, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, Rogan josh, palak paneer, egg curry, roasted and baked recipes, and Chilli Chicken or other side dishes of your choice.
Following are some of the other popular Indian recipes to serve with Basmati Rice.
- Chicken Karahi
- Tandoori Chicken
- Shrimp Vindaloo
- Lamb Vindaloo
- Paneer Tikka Masala
- Chole
- Aloo Gobi
- Vegetable Korma
- Bhindi Masala
- Paneer Tikka
Related Recipes
You could also find similar rice recipes below.
- White Rice
- Brown Rice
- Jasmine Rice
- Mexican Rice (Spanish Rice)
- Pudina Rice
- Biryani Rice
- Matar Pulao
- Fried Rice
- Chicken and Rice
- Baked Chicken and Rice
- Schezwan Fried Rice
- Egg Fried Rice
You could also find more flavored rice at Biryani Recipes.
Basmati Rice Recipe Video
I have also shared a video of how to make Basmati Rice below, which I hope will help you make fluffy rice at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basmati Rice, aged long grain rice
- 3 cups Water
Instructions
To cook Basmati Rice
- Rinse the Basmati Rice with cold tap water until the water runs clear. Drain the water and reserve it for later use (Note: This will help to remove the excess starch and other debris from rice)
- In a wide pot with medium heat, pour 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil (using a wide pot helps to cook the rice evenly)
- Now add the washed and drained Basmati Rice into the water. Give it a gentle mix
- Allow the rice to cook until the edges and middle are bubbling
- By now the rice would be cooked to 70%. The rice would be turned long, and if you press it with your fingers, it would break
- Now simmer the heat to low, and close the pan with its lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed (Note: Make sure the lid is tight enough and there is no steam escaping)
- Once all the water is absorbed, switch off the heat and allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes. Open the lid and fluff the cooked Basmati Rice gently with a fork or spatula. Now the fluffy, tender and soft-cooked Basmati Rice is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this Cooked Basmati Rice with Indian recipes like chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, aloo gobi, palak paneer, paneer tikka masala, or with other curries, roasted and baked vegetables of your choice
Video
Notes
- How to choose Basmati Rice - Always look for Basmati Rice that has labeled aged in the package. Aged rice usually has less moisture content due to the aging process. It always stays separated and looks good after cooking which results in a fluffier texture. While new rice is nothing but newly harvested rice that has more moisture content. And they tend to turn sticky if cooked with more or the same amount of water suggested for aged rice
- Long Grain - You can feel free to use normal size, long, or extra long grain basmati rice. But personally, I prefer to use extra long grain basmati rice for biryani and pulao as it delivers an appealing and rich look
- Rinsing - According to me, rinsing basmati rice is one of the basic steps to clean it from residues and debris. I also suggest washing and rinsing until the water runs clear which also helps to remove the excess starch. Doing this helps to achieve the fluffier and separated texture of your cooked rice
- Temperature - Always cook the basmati rice on medium heat until it cooks up to 70%. This is the stage when the water bubbles at the edges and middle. And always make sure to simmer the heat to low once you put the lid on. This helps the rice to cook evenly and avoid burning at the bottom of the pan
- Pot - I recommend using a wide bottom pan for cooking the basmati rice, as it gives enough room to cook the rice. If the pot is small and there is no space to cook then the rice would cook unevenly. That is the bottom would be mushy and the top layer stays uncooked
- Extra flavorings - Even though plain basmati rice is enjoyed with curries, you can also add some flavors to enhance its taste. Feel free to add a tsp of cumin seeds, and salt to taste for easy cumin or jeera rice. Sometimes, I also add some bay leaves, cumin, frozen peas, and a dash of ghee before bringing the water to boil for simple peas pulao
Nutrition
FAQ
Basmati Rice is a fragrant, and long-grained rice produced in India and Pakistan. The term Basmati is a Hindi word that translates to fragrance or aroma. This rice naturally has a Pandan leaf-like aroma that makes it unique from other rice varieties. And it is widely used to make Biryani, Pulao, and other flavored rice for a rich meal in India and other neighboring countries.
It is widely used to make biryanis, pulaos, and other flavored rice, especially in Indian, Pakistani, and Middle Eastern cuisine.
No, this method of cooking Basmati Rice is perfect for enjoying with curries, sides, or making fried rice. This method won't work for layering the biryani because the rice is already fully cooked. Please check out our biryani recipes, to make layered or one-pot biryanis.
Yes, it is healthy rice compared to other white rice. It has a low glycemic index that avoids the risk of type 2 diabetes and is also loaded with dietary fibers. (source: WebMD)
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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