Basmati rice is a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine. It's very easy to make, delicious, and is finished in under an hour. The way we utilize basmati rice is we including vermicelli noodles that are sauteed in oil or shortening. The noodles add just a bit of a differentiating distinct flavor to the rice. It's such a wonderful combination. This basmati rice recipe will become your go-to.
REASONS YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE:
- once you learn how to make it properly, you can use this technique for other similar rice varieties
- Basmati rice goes with so many Middle Eastern dishes
- you have dinner in under half an hour
Ingredients for Basmati Rice:
- Basmati rice - the base of our recipe
- Warm water - to soak the rice in
- Crisco shortening or vegetable oil - to toast our noodles and rice
- Vermicelli noodles - adds a toasted nutty flavor that goes well with our rice
- Cold water - to cook our rice in
- Distilled white vinegar - fluffs up the rice grains a bit
- salt - for flavor
How to Make Basmati Rice:
- Place the rice in a large bowl. Pour very warm water over the rice just until the water covers the rice by about a ¼". Allow the rice to soak for about 30 minutes.
- Pour the rice and water mixture through a strainer and wash the rice thoroughly with warm water. Place the strainer over a bowl to allow the excess water to drip for about ten minutes.
- After the excess water has drained, place the shortening or oil in a pot over high heat. If you're using the shortening, stir until it's fully melted. Pour the vermicelli noodles into the pot. Stir frequently. After about 5 minutes or once the noodles have gotten to more of a brownish colour, add the rice to the noodles and cook both for a couple more minutes. We just want to toast the rice for a couple of minutes and this will also finish off cooking the noodles to a colour we're satisfied with. The noodles should be browned, but not burned. They're naturally golden in colour and will darken as you cook them. I could have gone darker than what I had pictured, but oh well.
- Once the sauteeing is done, pour cold water into the pot. Add in the vinegar and salt. Stir just a little bit until the rice is fully covered by the water. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat until most of the water is soaked up from the top. This takes about 5 minutes or so on high heat. Make sure to check to see if the water is soaked up just enough. Some water should be visible, but most of it should be soaked up from the top. It's important not to overdo it or the rice will be overcooked.
- Turn the heat to low. Cover the pot with layers of paper towel and place the lid on top of the paper towels. Cook on low for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the lid and paper towels from the pot. Use a big fork to fluff the rice up a bit.
- Serve and enjoy! This rice is delicious on its own, but it's also great as a side dish or as a base for many wonderful Mid-East dishes.
SOME MORE GREAT LEBANESE RECIPES:
- Sayadieh (Lebanese Fish and Rice Dish)
- Mjuduara (Lebanese Rice and Lentils)
- Lebanese Chicken Shawarma
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Middle-Eastern Basmati Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 cups very warm water or enough to just cover the rice by an additional ¼"
- ¾ cup Crisco shortening or vegetable oil
- 1 cup vermicelli noodles
- 4 cups cold water
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
Instructions
- Place the rice in a large bowl. Pour very warm water over the rice just until the water covers the rice by about a ¼". Allow the rice to soak for about 30 minutes.
- Pour the rice and water mixture through a strainer and wash the rice thoroughly with warm water. Place the strainer over a bowl to allow the excess water to drip for about ten minutes.
- After the excess water has drained, place the shortening or oil in a pot over high heat. If you're using the shortening, stir until it's fully melted. Pour the vermicelli noodles into the pot. Stir frequently. After about 5 minutes or once the noodles have gotten to more of a brownish color, add the rice to the noodles and cook both for a couple more minutes. We just want to toast the rice for a couple of minutes and this will also finish off cooking the noodles to a color we're satisfied with. The noodles should be browned, but not burned. They're naturally golden in color and will darken as you cook them.
- Once the sauteeing is done, pour cold water into the pot. Add in the vinegar and salt. Stir just a little bit until the rice is fully covered by the water. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat until most of the water is soaked up from the top. This takes about 5 minutes or so on high heat. Make sure to check to see if the water is soaked up just enough. Some water should be visible, but most of it should be soaked up from the top. It's important not to overdo it or the rice will be overcooked.
- Turn the heat to low. Cover the pot with layers of paper towel and place the lid on top of the paper towels. Cook on low for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the lid and paper towels from the pot. Use a big fork to fluff the rice up a bit.
- Serve and enjoy! This rice is delicious on its own, but it's also great as a side dish or as a base for many wonderful Mid-East dishes.
Video
Notes
It's important to use a liquid measuring cup to measure both the rice and the water.
Store in a container, covered in the fridge. It will last for about a week, but it's best within a few days.
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