How to make basmati rice like Indian restaurants make it: It’s a very simple method of making it, and the rice cooks in under 30 minutes. Read how to make the perfect rice here!
I am a basmati rice snob and connoisseur. Everything about this rice makes me happy (even the carbs)!
I haven’t been to an Indian restaurant in the US that doesn’t serve free rice with your main course meals
Perfectly cooked rice is not very hard to make, so let me show you my basmati rice recipe.
What is Basmati rice? Basmati Rice is a variety of long-grain rice traditionally served with Indian food. This Indian white rice has pointy ends and an earthy flavor, unlike traditional white rice.
This long, thin rice is predominantly used in Indian cooking and is easily prepared in minutes. It can be eaten with curry or by itself.
Serve it with my palak makhani recipe .
After seeing these steps you will never have to wonder, “How to make basmati rice?”
🍚 Basmati Vs Jasmine: Jasmine rice is aromatic and tastes sweeter. Basmati doesn’t have a strong aroma and has a more earthy flavor.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to cook basmati rice Indian style.
1) For this recipe, I used 1 cup (145g) of the rice which usually serves 2-3 people.
2) First, we need to wash/rinse the rice. In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of Basmati rice. Place the stainless steel pot under your kitchen tap and fill it with enough water to cover all the rice. There is no measurement for this because we are rinsing the rice.
3) Using your fingers, gently stir the rice and water. You will notice that the water will get cloudy. That is a good thing. It means that the rice was packaged right after harvesting. Tilt the pan and drain as much of the water as you can. It’s ok to leave some water in it.
4) Repeat steps 2 and 3. I like to wash the rice three times, but, two times is sufficient.
5) Once rinsed, add the water which will cook the rice. The general ratio rule is 1:5. For every cup of rice, add 5 cups of water.
6) Place the pan on the stove and set it to high heat. Then add the spices (cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon) and ghee or oil.
7) While waiting for the water to boil, stir it frequently so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom. Let it simmer while using a fork to stir the rice.
If you see a white frothy layer on top, you can use a spoon to skim it off. I have always been told that it’s just starch. This is optional, but it reduces the rice’s stickiness.
8) When the rice grains have doubled in size (about 15-20 min), your rice is ready to be taken off the heat.
9) Drain the excess water using a strainer or a colander.
10) Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with curry or other meals
So, this is how to make basmati rice. Aren’t you so happy to see that it’s a quick, easy, and stress-free way to make it?
🍴Substitution tip : Use a fork to stir the rice because it will keep the rice from becoming mushy and keep it fluffy.
Don’t like plain white rice? Here are ways to make it better.
Indian restaurants will always add (affiliate link) Saffron or cumin to the rice. Check out how I made my Saffron Rice Recipe using this my favorite rice. You can also caramelize half an onion and mix it with this rice. Chop cilantro and add it to the rice. Drizzle the juice of half of a lime, mix, and you will have the best cilantro lime rice. Stir fry vegetables and mix in the rice to make it more of a full meal. In a small pan, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 TBsp of ghee. Gently place rice in the oil and add half tsp salt. Mix well gently to keep the fluff. Serve it immediately. Also, if you have a rice pudding recipe , use this method of cooking rice. Your pudding will turn out nice and soft.
I like to place the cooked rice in a glass container lined with parchment paper. This prevents the moisture from ruining the rice.
Once cooked, wait for the rice to cool down completely. Then, place rice in the lined airtight container. Make sure it’s a tight-fitting lid because you don’t want it to get refrigerator burns.
❤️ Saffron Tip: A note about saffron: I have seen people add tablespoons of saffron which is so very wrong. All you need are 4-5 strands.
Ever wonder why they serve free rice? I was given 2 reasons for it:
The first reason is that they are made in bulk, so, it costs them about $1 per day to make the rice. For this reason, they can give it away for free.
The second reason is probably more functional. Restaurants think that if they give you free rice, you will eat more entrees. Since entrees are where they make the most of their profit, free rice makes sense to give away.
So, the next time you want rice to go with your dinner recipes, try my technique for making this rice.
Learn more about this rice on Wikipedia .
Are jasmine and basmati rice the same? No, they are two different rice varieties. Jasmine rice is more aromatic and a little on the sweeter side. It’s used mainly in Chinese cooking, Japanese, and Singapore cuisines. Basmati has almost no aroma and is longer when cooked. Jasmine rice tastes sweet while basmati tastes earthy. Chinese restaurants always make jasmine rice while Indian restaurants make basmati.
What is the difference between basmati and white rice? White rice is a broad category that includes basmati rice, jasmine rice, long-grain rice, and many more.
How long will cooked rice last in the fridge? When stored in an airtight container, this rice will be good for 5 days. Then, it will start to get slimy, so discard it.
How to reheat cooked rice? Gently place the cooked rice in boiling water and cook until it’s soft. The time will depend on the coldness of the rice. Once cooked, drain the excess water and serve. To microwave: sprinkle about two tablespoons of water on it and microwave for 1 minute. Mix well and reheat for another minute, if needed.
👩🍳 Storing tip : Please do not freeze cooked rice. It will lose its texture and get very mushy.
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this basmati cooking recipe. If you made and enjoyed it, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook , Pinterest , Flipboard , Instagram , and YouTube .
Rini
How To Make The Perfect Basmati Rice Just Like They Make at Indian Restaurants. This recipe is easy to make stove top and the perfect fall side dish recipe for any meal. Serve with curry, and vegetables, or use it in a kheer or rice pudding recipe.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Drinks, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 2 cups
Calories 358 kcal
Get Recipe Ingredients
In a medium sauce pan, add 1 cup of Basmati rice
Place the pan under your kitchen tap and fill it halfway with water
Using your fingers, gently stir the rice and water.
Tilt the pan and remove as much of the water as you can. It’s ok to leave some water in it.
Repeat steps 2 to 4 two more times. The water will be less cloudy at the third time
Once washed, we now add water that was set aside for cooking
Place the pan on high heat.
Add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ghee or oil.
Stir frequently so that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom
When the rice grains have doubled in size (about 15 min), turn off heat
Using a strainer, strain the rice to remove excess water
Use a fork to stir the rice in the strainer to make it fluffy
Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy
– If you are using Saffron, soak the 2 strands in 3 tsp of warm water. After 4 min of soaking pour the saffron water over rice and stir it. Some of the rice will turn red, some will be yellow and the rest will be white, just like they are in Indian restaurants.
Serving: 2 people Calories: 358 kcal Carbohydrates: 76 g Protein: 6 g Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 3 mg Sodium: 45 mg Potassium: 106 mg Fiber: 2 g Calcium: 72 mg Iron: 1.2 mg
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Version 1
Occasionally, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover
This recipe was originally published in 2015 and has stood the test of time. However, I have gone into the post to remove the irrelevant paragraphs and made the instructions more concise.
Click here to see the recipe before it was changed.
