Tips on How to Cook Perfect Rice

Perfectly cooked rice is tasty, light, and fluffy. The grains are distinct and tender but not mushy. Different rice cooks at different parameters; brown rice cooks longer than white, old rice can lose some of its moisture, requiring more water and a longer cooking time. However getting consistently good results is not impossible. Rice can be cooked in one of several ways: boiled and steamed. There is a great variation in personal preference as to the hardness or softness of rice desired. In any event , properly cooked rice should be dry and uniform in texture. Even the softest rice should have all moisture completely absorbed into each grain and not left between the grains. (This does not, of course, apply to congee). The absorption method of cooking long-grain rice described below is the most commonly used.

Basmati Rice Rinse the rice several times until water comes out clear and drain off water. Excess water can make your rice mushy. For fluffier, faster cooking rice, soak it in cold water for about half an hour prior to cooking. You can skip this step and still get good results. If you do soak your rice, be sure to drain it thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 to 2 cup of clear water (depending on softness desired, soaked rice requires less water) for every cup of rice and boil over big fire while stirring occasionally to prevent sticking that will lead to burning. Stir gently or it could break the rice. Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is big enough to provide plenty of room above the rice for steam. A tight lid keeps the steam in. Some cooks add a bit of butter or olive oil at this point to help keep the grains from sticking together. A few drops of lemon juice is used not only to prevent sticky rice, but to retain the "whiteness" of white rice. For some, this is not a good practice because it masks the natural flavor of the rice.

Lower the heat to a simmer when the water has been evaporated and small craters form on the surface. Cover and cook for 12~15 minutes. Note that soaked rice requires shorter cooking time. Also, t he greater the quantity of rice, the longer the heat is retained, and the shorter the cooking time. Avoid lifting the lid when the rice is cooking. For some reasons if you need to, do it very quickly. To test if the rice is cooked, squeezed a grain between the thumb and index finger. If it's cooked it will be soft, if uncooked, there will be a hard particle of starch in the centre of the grain.

At this stage, the top layer of the rice is drier than the bottom, which can be very moist. Gently f luff the rice with a fork or chopstick to avoid breaking the fragile rice below. Then let it stand, covered, for five to 30 minutes. This results in a uniform texture, with the bottom layers as fluffy as the top.

If there is a little liquid remaining once the rice is cooked, remove the cover and raise the heat to evaporate the liquid quickly (make sure that the rice does not stick to the pan) OR dry the rice in the oven at 300ºF for 7 to 15 minutes.

If there is a lot of cooking liquid remaining, drain the rice (the leftover cooking liquid can be used to make soups, sauces, or stews). Place the drained rice in the oven or on the stove briefly to dry it.

If the rice is not fully cooked, add just enough water to create a little steam. Put the lid on and cook the rice on very low heat for another 5 minutes.

If the bottom layer of rice has burned, run cold water over the outside of the pot's bottom to cool it down and retard the burnt flavor from spreading to the rest of the rice. Unload as much rice as you can salvage.

While cooking rice add a few drops of lemon juice. The color of the grains become bright white.

Amazing Mashed Patoto

Amazing Mashed potatoes

Ready in: < 30 minutes Ingredients * 8 medium yellow or white potatoes, peeled and quartered * 1 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1 cup half-and-half or milk * 2 tablespoons butter, or more to taste * 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Methods : Put the potatoes in a large heavy pan and add cold water to cover (don't ever put hot water on your raw potatoes; it makes them gluey). Add 1 tsp. of the salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a knife. Drain and mash them with a hand masher or ricer. Put a lid on the pot to keep them warm. In a small saucepan, bring the half-and-half to a boil over medium-high heat, stir in the 2 Tbs. butter, and turn off the heat. Add the hot half-and-half to the potatoes, a little at a time, whipping vigorously with a fork until the potatoes are fluffy. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp. of salt and the pepper. If desired, plop another few tablespoons of butter on top of the potatoes, either in the pan or the serving bowl, to melt down the sides. This recipe for Amazing Mashed Potatoes serves/makes 6.

Indian Spice Mix

Garam masala is a blend of ground aromatic spices common in the Indian cuisine often added to curry near the end of cooking to add great flavour and aroma. Garam masala is often added to indian food like pakoras and somasas.
Ingredients for Garam Masala Powder:

* 4 cloves
* 4-5 cinnamon sticks
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 1 tsp coriander seeds
* 7 peppercorns
* 1 bayleaf
* Ghee(clarified butter)

Tandoori masala is a mixture of spices ground to fine powder in a grinder or with a pestle and mortar specifically for use with a tandoor, or clay oven, in traditional North Indian cooking for dishes like tandoori chicken, tikka, tandoori fish, butter chicken etc. Tandoori masala can be stored in airtight jars for up to 2 months.
Ingredients for Tandoori Masala Powder:

* 4 tsp ground coriander
* 3 tsp ground cummin
* 4 tsp garlic powder
* 4 tsp paprika
* 3 tsp ground ginger
* 2 tsp mango powder
* 1 tsp dried mint
* 3 tsp deep red coloring
* 1 tsp chilli powder
* 1 tsp yellow colouring)