Okay, so I’ve been trying to eat healthier lately, and everyone keeps talking about brown basmati rice. I figured, why not give it a shot? I’m no chef, but I can follow instructions, so I went on a hunt for some decent recipes.
The First Attempt – Basic Brown Basmati
First things first, I needed to figure out how to cook the darn rice properly. I found a simple recipe online and got to work.
- I rinsed about a cup of the rice under cold water. Apparently, this gets rid of extra starch. It looked cloudy at first, then got clearer.
- I added the rinsed rice to a pot with about two cups of water and a pinch of salt.
- I brought the whole thing to a boil, then reduced the heat to low, covered the pot, and let it simmer. The instructions said 45-50 minutes, but mine seemed done around 40. I guess every stove is different.
- I fluffed it with a fork, and… well, it was rice. Plain, but definitely nuttier tasting than white rice.
It wasn’t bad, but it was pretty boring on its own. I ate it with some leftover grilled chicken, which helped.
Spicing Things Up – Lemon and Herb Brown Basmati
The next day, I decided to get a little more adventurous. I found a recipe that added lemon and herbs, which sounded way more appealing.
I basically followed the same cooking steps as before, but with a few additions:
- I added a squeeze of lemon juice and a little zest to the cooking water.
- After the rice was cooked, I stirred in some chopped fresh parsley and dill. I used dried herbs last time,it worked fine too.
This was much better! The lemon gave it a nice zing, and the herbs made it taste so fresh. I had this with some baked fish, and it was a legit good meal.
Getting Fancy – Brown Basmati Rice with Veggies
Feeling confident, I moved on to a recipe that mixed in some veggies.
I cooked the rice as normal. While the rice work:
- Chopped up some onions, carrots, and bell peppers.
- Sautéed the veggies in a pan with a bit of olive oil until they were soft.
- Mixed everything with the cooked rice.
It’s getting better now. You can change different veggies, it can get different taste.
So, that’s my brown basmati rice journey so far. I’m definitely a convert. It’s healthier, tastier (with a little help), and surprisingly easy to cook. I’m still experimenting with different recipes, but I’m pretty happy with my progress. I’m no expert, but if I can do it, anyone can!
