Basmati rice which literally translates as “queen of fragrance” has been grown on the foot hills of the Himalayas for thousands of years and has been a staple in many South Asia and Mid Eastern cuisine for most of that time. With is perfumy, nutlike flavor and aroma Basmati rice is an incredible accompaniment or the star in many dishes. But sadly many home cooks tend to stay away from this rice because they hear the name and think it must be difficult to cook but the truth is how to cook basmati rice is easier then you may think.

But before we get to how to cook basmati rice it is important to note that there is a huge difference between the imported and the American-grown varieties. The imported are ten times better than their American counter parts so to make the best tasting rice make sure you are getting the imported kind. Also once you open the package make sure store the remainder in an air tight container.

When it comes to cooking basmati rice the steps very simple. The first thing that needs to be done it sort and then rinse the rice. Sorting is nothing more than looking through the rice make sure there are no small rocks, it not often you will find anything but every once in while you will find and it is not something you want to bite down on.

Next need to measure out the rice we will be using 1 cup of rice will normally feed 4 people. Then we need to rinse the rice under cold water for a few minutes or until the water runs clear.

Now it’s time to cook the rice. Start with a medium sized sauce pan that has a tight fitting lid and heat it over medium high heat add a tablespoon of then add I cup rinsed basmati rice and 1 ¾ cups of water and stir mixture only once, bring to a light boil, cover, reduce the heat low and simmer the rice for 15 minutes just until the water is absorbed. Remove the rice from the heat and allow the rice to rest (do not stir) covered for about 5 minutes then take a fork and fluff (stir) the rice.

That’s it your rice it ready to enjoy.

Here are some flavoring ideas that you may what to try to enhance your basmati rice.

If you are able to get your hand on some ghee (a staple in Indian cuisine) use it in place of the butter for an added depth of flavor.

Add a little fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice to the rice at the beginning of the cooking process to enhance the rice flavor.

When you are heating up the butter add a little chopped onion and sauté them before you add the rice.

Add some spices like cardamom seeds when heating the butter. Try and match up the spices that you using in the main dish if your rice.