“Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for the day, Teach a man how to grow rice and you will save his life “–Confucius
Rice had been and is one of the most important part of the diet of Indians all over the world .It is a food ingredient which can be regarded as a shape shifter , as it finds its place in all categories of food ranging from snacks to sweet dishes. Apart from being a rich source of carbohydrates, rice contains more than 15 vitamins and minerals which give essential nutrition to the body.
The staple food of almost whole of India, rice is loved in its various forms throughout the span of the country. Here we bring you 5 rice recipes which are among the best Indian rice recipes, selected from various corners of the country.
1. Kashmiri pulav : An angelic recipe from the heaven on earth
Kashmiri dishes are known for their richness and aromatic flavor. Pulav is an Indian rice recipe, prepared throughout the length and breadth of the country, but Kashmiri pulav is a gem; it tops the list of pulavs with its richness and is a delight to the senses of smell and taste. The aroma of the preparation is well enough to instill the surrounding air with the quality of richness.
Preparation method:
The variety of rice chosen for this dish is highest quality Basmati Rice, which is first sautéed with preheated butter infused with spices. The fried rice is then cooked in a solution of pinch of saffron with water. The cooked rice is then seasoned with fried dry fruits which add crispiness to every bite. A second level of seasoning is of fried onions and fresh fruits namely, pineapple, grapes, apple and pomegranate.
The preparation comes out to be of mild sweet taste and is highly tempting .Served with your favorite gravy this recipe can surely make you relish your lunch
2.Jadoh: An Indian rice recipes with a Tribal touch
From the kitty of the Meghalaya (North east of India), come the special Khasi Tribal delicacy, Jadoh. The savory dish is cooked out of a combination of distinctive pork and Jadoh rice. Jadoh rice produced in the terraced field of hills of Meghalaya is quite different in their appearance (red colored) and taste from the plain rice. The mouth-watering dish is an integral part of all tribal celebrations of Meghalaya.
Preparation method:
The preparation of this Indian rice recipe is a lot similar to that of birayani; it starts with the sauté of chopped onions, black pepper, and turmeric and ginger paste. Tip of bay leaves are then burnt and dropped in the pan along with pork which is fried until light brown. Washed jadoh rice is then added to it along with salt and water to cook. The well cooked dish is then garnished with cilantro.
This Indian rice recipe is spicy in taste and served best with Meghalayan dishes Tungrymbai (fermented soya paste) and Dohneiiong (pork with sesame seeds)
3. Dal peetha : Vegetarian dumplings from Bihar
Bihar offers a wide variety of, off the track savory dishes. Dal Peetha is one of the Indian rice recipes which is a highly nutritious, low/ no oil dish which makes for a very healthy breakfast. The dish is works equally well to stimulate the taste buds. Owing to its way of cooking some people even regard it as the Indian substitute to momos , but as you go through the preparation method you would come to judge by yourself.
Preparation method:
Kneaded rice flour is stuffed with a mixture of mashed boiled lentils and a few spices like cumin seed, coriander power and salt. This stuffing is kept open from one side. These rice covered stuffing are then cooked in steam in a manner similar to that of momos.
Served steaming hot with chutney, this rice recipe adds to flavor as well as health. However, for an enriched experience it can be fried and served along with coriander chutney or pickle. This can be considered as one of the best Indian Rice recipes because it is healthy, tasty and easy to cook.
4. Bisi Bele bath : Best among the south Indian rice recipes
A rice-lentil-vegetable dish, Bisi Bele Bath makes you want for more with its richness and flavor and hence can be categorized as one of the best Indian Rice Recipes. The procedure involved is really a long one as we would see through the preparation method and getting the right texture and taste is a thing of skill and experience. The preparation of bisi bele masala itself is a blend of carefully chosen spices.
Preparation method:
This dish requires a lot of vegetable for instance capsicum, French beans, turnips, carrots, green peas etc. The vegetables, tuvar dal and rice all are cooked separately in water and then mixed together, but it doesn’t end here. In another part of the kitchen a separate bowl lies with tamarind soaked in water for long hours, the tamarind pulp is squeezed out leaving tamarind water behind, which is then added to the mixture followed by a bisi bele masala. It all ends with addition of sputtered mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chilies, Marathi moggu, asafetida and cashew nuts in substantial amount of pure Ghee. With final stirring and last 5 minutes cooking, the splendid dish is ready to be tasted.
Best served with chips or fried papad and raita, this Indian rice recipe if cooked properly, would never disappoint you.
5. Ukadiche modak : Stimulates the taste buds of Gods as well!
Known to be Lord Ganesha’s favorite, this sweet dish gets a place as one of the best Indian rice recipes could satisfy your sweet tooth to all its limits. Although, modaks are made of various materials these days, but the Marathi tradition traces back the traditional modak to modaks made out of Ukad or rice flour dough.
Preparation method:
The stuffing here is sweet and is a mixture of freshly grated coconut and jaggery. This mixture is filled inside of a peculiar shape made out of ukad and closed from all sides. These are then cooked in steam in a manner similar to that of dal peetha.
This particular dish is a sweet and doesn’t require serving, it is the favorite of the family; leave aside children, adults can even not control the temptation it. However, it should always be kept in mind that too much of sweet is not advisable.
Cooking is an art and rice as an ingredient in the hands of the artist gives him an advantage to flourish his creative cooking abilities to the full extent. The above mentioned Indian rice recipes, again emphasize on the concept of unity and diversity embedded into the soul of India; a single ingredient rice can be presented and prepared in such diversified ways and that too in a single country.
