Pat Chapman’s Indian Restaurant Cookbook

Pullao Rice

I have used this method hundreds of times whether cooking for a hundred or for one. It works superbly and will produce fluffy tasty rice very time. But it is one of the few recipes in the book which requires precision timing. It is essential that you concentrate on this, and nothing else, or the rice may overcook and become stodgy.

Serves: 4-6

12oz (350g) Basmati rice

1 generous litre (2 pints water) water

Method:

1. Pick through the rice to remove grit and particles.

2. Boil the water. It is not necessary to salt it.

3. While it is heating up rinse the rice briskly with fresh cold water until most of the starch is washed out. Run hot tap water through the rice at the final rinse. This minimises the temperature reduction of the boiling water when you put the rice into it.

4. When the water is boiling properly, pout the rice into the pan. Start timing. (Put lid on pan until water comes back to the boil, then remove).

5. It takes 8 -10 minutes from the start. Stir frequently.

6. After about 6 minutes, taste a few grains. As son as the centre is no longer brittle, but still has a good al dente bite to  it, strain off the water. It should seem slightly undercooked.

7. Place the strainer under the cold tap and cool the rice down. This stops it cooking further. Shake off all excess water, then place the strainer onto a dry tea towel which will help remove the last of the water.

8. After about 10 minutes, put the rice in a dish and into a low oven or warming drawer for about half an hour. As it dried, the grains will separate and become fluffy.

Yellow Spiced Pullao Rice

Most Indian restaurants refer to their yellow rice as Pullao Rice. Often they simply add yellow food colouring to plain rice and charge a lot more. This recipe will produce a really tasty, delicately flavoured yellow rice which is nice with most curries. It’s also The Curry Club’s most popular recipe.

Serves: 4 or more

2 cups Basmati rice

1 dessertspoon ghee

salt

1/4 teaspoon saffron strands

2 tablespoons milk (optional)

Spices 1

2 whole green cardamoms

2 whole cloves

2 inch (5cm) cassia bark

Spices 2

1 dessertspoon desiccated coconut

1 dessertspoon ground almonds

Method:

1. Prepare and boil rice in usual way (see above).

2. Heat ghee in large frying pan or wok. Add Spices 1 and cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat.

3. Add about three-quarters of the rice, Spices 2, and salt to taste.

4. Warm saffron in 2 tablespoons warm milk, let it stand for 10 minutes. Just before serving mix in the remaining quarter or pre-warmed white rice. You’ll get a nice yellow/white mixture.