Indian Rice

4 cups
45 min

This fragrant Indian Style Rice Recipe is flavored with Indian spices, onion, garlic, and sweet peas. It's better than takeout, simple to make, and the perfect accompaniment to any Indian-inspired dish.

A bowl of Indian Rice with peas.

Best rice ever!! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe- literally does taste like it's from a restaurant! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!" - Jennifer


What's the Best Kind of Rice To Use To Make Indian Rice?


Outside of India, the two main varieties of rice used in Indian-style cooking is Basmati and Jasmine. In many dishes, they can be used interchangeably, but there are some differences between the two.

Jasmine rice comes from Thailand and is a staple ingredient in most Asian cooking. While Jasmine rice is considered a "long-grain" rice, its grains are shorter and slightly thicker than basmati.


It's also starchier, which gives it a softer, slightly sticky texture when cooked. For the most part, I reach for Jasmine rice when cooking Asian-inspired dishes, like Asian Short Rib Fried Rice.


Nearly all of the world's basmati rice is grown in India and Pakistan. It's also a long-grain rice, meaning that the grains are long and skinny, about 4-5 times longer than they are wide.


When cooked, basmati rice is less sticky than Jasmine, with grains that tend to remain on the firm side. Basmati rice also doesn't stick together like Jasmine rice does which makes it a great choice for rice pilaf, salads, and Indian Rice side dishes like this one.


Is it Necessary to Rinse the Rice Before Cooking?


I know many people disagree, but I don't think it's 100% necessary to rinse rice before cooking. I've forgotten this step many times over the years and the rice is still delicious.


However, rinsing rice before you cook it IS the better option. Rinsing rice is especially important with long-gran varieties, like Basmati.

Rinsing the rice for a minute or two under cold running water rinses away excess surface starch that can cause the rice to stick together during the cooking process.


Rice that sticks together is not the end of the world. But, for dishes like Indian Rice, you really are going for individual grains that don't clump, and rinsing will help make this happen.

Stirring a pot of Indian Rice with peas.

Is it Necessary to Soak Basmati Rice?


Over the years I've seen several recipes that call for soaking basmati rice for 30 minutes or so before cooking. To be honest, it's an instruction I happily ignored. But then I decided to try it and discovered that it actually does make a difference in the texture of the rice.


When basmati rice is allowed to soak for a bit in cold water, the grains expand, absorbing some of the water. The result is noticeably fluffier cooked rice.


If you look at two grains of cooked rice side-by-side, one that has been presoaked and one that hasn't, you will be able to see the difference.


The other benefit to pre-soaking rice is that it increases the grain's ability to absorb other liquids and sauces. So, if you're making something like Indian Butter Chicken, with plenty of gravy spooned over the rice, this can be an advantage.


Having said all that, presoaking basmati rice is only something I do when I think of it in time.


It makes a difference, but not so much of a difference that I consider it in any way essential. If you happen to think about it, toss your rice in a bowl of cold water 30 minutes before you want to cook it. If you don't think about it, or just don't feel like it, don't worry about it.

Stirring rice into Indian spices while cooking Indian Rice.

The Many Spices in Indian Rice


Despite the fact that the ingredient list for this recipe is kind of long, making Indian Rice is extremely easy. The long list of ingredients is due to the fact that Indian Rice contains a lot of different spices.

All those delicious spices are what make it so fragrant, flavorful, and delicious. But, do you really need all of them?


Well, yes. And, also no. Arguably, the 5 most important spices in Indian cooking are:


  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • Turmeric
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Black mustard


This recipe for Indian Rice includes 4 of those spices, and honestly, if you only used those, the dish would be delicious.


So, if you're not sure you want to make such a large investment in your spice cabinet, stick to cumin, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric. Increase the amount of each spice slightly and you'll be good to go. (You could even narrow it down to three and leave out the cayenne.)

Having said that, the touch of cinnamon, garam masala, and bay leaves in this dish really do round out the flavors.


If you already have them on hand, there's no reason to not throw them in. If you don't, consider adding them to your assortment of spices not only for this recipe but as an excuse to experiment with them in other dishes.

A bowl of Indian Rice with peas.
A bowl of Homemade Indian Butter Chicken with Indian Rice.
Recipe details
  • 4  cups
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 25 Minutes Total time: 45 min
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (390g/ 14oz) basmati rice (See note about soaking rice)
  • 1 tablespoon (.5oz) butter
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • â…› teaspoon ground cayenne
  • 1 -2 bay leaves, preferably Turkish Bay Leaves
  • 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 3 ½ cups (828ml) water, or chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups (16oz) frozen peas
Instructions

Put the rice in a fine mesh colander/ strainer and rinse it in the sink under cold water for a minute or two, until the water running out of the bottom of the colander is mostly clear. This will remove any excess starch from the rice so the grains won't stick together while cooking. Leave in the sink to drain.
Add butter, oil, and onion to a large, heavy bottom sauce pan and set it over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring frequently, until it's soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
While the onion cooks, add garlic, ginger and all the spices except the bay leaves to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add to the pan with the softened onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. Add the bay leaves along with the water or broth. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to low, and let simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the frozen peas. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes to cook the peas. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Tips
  • Soaking basmati rice in cold water for 30 minutes will make the rice fluffier and better able to absorb sauces and gravy. But, it's not in any way essential to cooking delicious Indian Rice.
  • If you want to, put the rice in a bowl and cover it in cold water. Let the rice soak for 30 minutes, then rinse and proceed with the recipe.
Rebecca Blackwell | A Little and A Lot
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