The Romance of Basmati

Basmati: The name is romantic, promising sumptuous pilafs and intricately spiced biryanis of rice so fragrant that it is incredible to eat just by itself.

So what is basmati rice, really? For starters, it’s a long-grain rice exported from northwestern India and Pakistan. Basmati is cultivated in the United States too, but the rice is affected by differences in soil and water in the same way that wines vary according to the region and vineyard where the grapes are grown.

The name ba^smati has nothing to do with length of grain. It’s simply an Urdu word meaning fragrant (and is properly pronounced with the accent on the first syllable). In actuality, there are short- and medium-grain Basmatis and Basmatis ground as fine as coarse semolina.

Basmati is far from an all-purpose rice. Its strong aroma and firm, slinky grains enable it to stand up to the rich dishes of Mogul cuisine--meats with creamy sauces enriched with ground nuts, for example. Serve it alongside dishes from other cuisines such as chicken teriyaki, Thai chicken curry or Korean barbecued beef and the flavor becomes intrusive, as awkward as lace and sequins at a football game. The texture is not right for those dishes either.

Basmati is far from the only rice prized in India. Different types are favored in the south and east of the country. And it is not uniformly aristocratic. There are quite ordinary Basmatis, and there are versions that sell for more than $100 a pound.

“Literally, you buy Basmati like you buy pearls,” says Julie Sahni, author of the newly published book, “Julie Sahni’s Introduction to Indian Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, $16.95). “You put the grains in your hand and examine them. It is a ritual. There should be a certain proportion of width to length. You go through perhaps a dozen types before you even sniff their fragrance.

“I would look carefully to see that the rice grains did not have any white spots--just the opposite of what you look for in Arborio, which is known for its high starch content.” That starch turns Arborio into the soft, moist, stick-together rice that is ideal for risotto but just the opposite of what is wanted in Basmati. Properly cooked Basmati will remain flaky and separate.

“It should fall from a spoon like flower petals,” Sahni says.

The raw grains should be very light in color, a pale beige, says Sahni. She treasures a stash of 50-year-old Basmati that has turned yellow over the years. Such rice is so costly and extraordinary that it would be served only on a memorable occasion; Sahni is saving it for her son’s wedding. In India, rice of this caliber would be kept for connoisseurs, Sahni says. “If they know you, they will bring it out. Such rice would cost $130 to $140 a pound. It is like buying antique jewelry.”

Few will ever see, much less taste, such rice, but no matter. “Most people should be quite happy with what we get in this country today. America is paying a premium price. The best rice is being exported here,” Sahni says.

Not all Basmati is white. Unpolished brown Basmati also has found a market in the United States but is not valued in India. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t look pretty, like a white Basmati, because the brown coating inhibits smooth expansion of the grains,” Sahni explains.

Top-quality white Basmati is well polished. “When the grain is polished, it doesn’t absorb water so quickly and it stays separate, producing long grains,” says Sunil Vora, owner of the Clay Pit Indian restaurant in Brentwood. The best Basmati is well aged, and the sacks of rice sold here are often labeled “aged.” “The older it gets, the better,” says Vora. Old rice absorbs water slowly as it cooks, and this results in dry, flaky rice.

The same brand of Basmati may not always taste the same. “Rice is like wine, basically. Some years, the crop is good; some years, not as good,” Vora says.

Basmati was once rare in this country. Today the demand is such that it has crept into supermarkets, adding to the wardrobe of rices that cater to the many styles of cooking popular in the United States.

The Clay Pit’s Lamb Biryani

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours

This dish may require a lot of ingredients, but it’s easy to assemble and can be prepared in advance, then finished at the last minute in case you’re cooking for guests.

LAMB

6 tablespoons oil

2 cups sliced onion

4 to 6 whole cloves

4 to 6 green cardamom pods

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 to 3 bay leaves

2 pounds cubed lamb

1 (3- to 4-ounce) tomato, chopped

1/2 cup yogurt

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 cups water

* Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and bay leaves, and fry until onions are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add lamb and cook, stirring frequently, until lamb is seared, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato, yogurt, ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, turmeric and salt, and cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and simmer until lamb is tender and water has evaporated, about 1 hour.

RICE

6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups Basmati rice

* Bring water to boil in large pot. Add salt and rice, and cook 5 to 6 minutes. Drain rice and rinse under cold running water. Rice should be slightly undercooked.

ASSEMBLY

Pinch saffron threads

1 tablespoon hot water

1/2 cup sliced onion

1 tablespoon oil

1 small tomato, sliced

3 tablespoons smoking hot ghee or clarified butter

* Soak saffron threads in 1 tablespoon hot water for 20 minutes.

* Fry onion slices in oil over medium-high heat until browned and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.

* Spread 1/3 of Rice in bottom of 2-quart casserole. Top with half of Lamb. Layer another 1/3 of Rice on Lamb and top with remaining Lamb. Cover Lamb with remaining Rice.

* Arrange browned onions and sliced tomato over top. Sprinkle with saffron liquid and pour hot ghee evenly over top. Cover and bake at 300 degrees until heated through and rice is tender, about 30 minutes.

6 servings. Each serving: 625 calories; 1,143 mg sodium; 92 mg cholesterol; 30 grams fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams protein; 1.14 grams fiber.

Orange-Cinnamon Basmati Pilaf

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour * Vegetarian * Low-Fat

Brown Basmati rice adds warm color to an unusual pilaf that appears in “Julie Sahni’s Introduction to Indian Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, 1998).

1 cup brown Basmati rice

Water

3/4 cup orange juice

1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon

5 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root

1/4 cup dark raisins

1 orange, sliced, optional

* Rinse rice well with cold water and place in bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water and let soak at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Drain rice, reserving water.

* Bring reserved water, orange juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger root and raisins to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Add rice and cook, partially covered, until most of moisture is absorbed and surface of rice is covered with steam holes, about 15 minutes.

* Cover pan tightly and reduce heat as low as possible. Let rice steam 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and cloves, and fluff with fork. Transfer to heated platter and garnish with orange slices, if desired.

4 servings. Each serving: 220 calories; 4 mg sodium; 0cholesterol; 0 fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.33 gram fiber.

Lal Qilla’s Saffron Rice (Kesar Chawal)

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes * Vegetarian

This unusual dessert is adapted from the recipe leaflet in a sack of Lal Qilla rice.

3/4 cup Basmati rice

Water

Pinch ground saffron

Dash salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon clarified butter

4 green cardamom pods, split

6 whole cloves

3/4 cup mixed nuts and dry fruit such as cashews, almonds, raisins, apricots and dried cherries

1 cup whipping cream

* Place rice in colander and rinse well. Turn into bowl, cover with water and soak 1 hour. Dissolve saffron in 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water.

* Bring 1 2/3 cups water to boil in large saucepan. Add drained, soaked rice and salt and cook, uncovered, over medium heat 5 minutes. Add sugar and clarified butter, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

* Add dissolved saffron, cardamom pods, cloves and half of fruit and nut mixture. Stir gently, cover and let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining fruit and nuts. Serve hot with cream.

4 servings. Each serving: 623 calories; 117 mg sodium; 90 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 83 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.

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Cook’s Tip

Ghee (clarified butter) plays as great a part in Indian cooking as olive oil does in Italian. It’s sold in Indian grocery stories and in many supermarkets. It’s also simple to make: Melt butter, skim off the foam, then pour the liquid butterfat into a separate pan, leaving the watery whey behind.

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Platter in Lamb Biryani photo from Rafu Bussan, Little Toyko, Los Angeles.