Plain Pilau Rice
By: cheesewench
Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 10:17pm

Ingredients




220 grams Basmati or other highquality long grain
1 tablespoon oil or butter
5 eachs sm cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
550 ml water
Salt
130 grams butter to finish

Preparation

1 Tip the rice into a sieve and rinse thoroughly. 2 Leave to drain and dry for at least 20 minutes. 3 Heat the oil or butter over a medium heat and add the rice cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir for 1 minute. 4 Pour in the water and season with salt. 5 Bring up to the boil then reduce heat as low as possible. 6 Cover the pan and leave to cook for 10 minutes without disturbing. 7 Test a few grains of rice approx they should be just al dente ie still slightly firm to the bite. 8 The liquid should all have been absorbed. If necessary uncover and cook off any excess quickly. 9 Spoon the rice (with the cinnamon stick and bay leaf) into a shallow dish dot with the extra butter then cover loosely with foil. 10 Place in a low to medium oven (it should not be too hot) and leave for 5 or 10 minutes to finish. 11 Fluff up with a fork and serve. 12 Serves 4 to 6 13 Sophies notes:This method may seem longwinded but it produces perfect separate grains glistening light and delicately flavoured approx an ideal accompaniment to a hundred and one dishes. It can be adapted to any quantity: just measure the rice in a measuring jug then add twice the volume of liquid. If you wish add a shake of turmeric as the rice cooks to colour it yellow.