What is it?

The predominant rice in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, basmati is marked by its extra-long grains and subtly nutty fragrance and flavor. It cooks up to a fairly fluffy texture, and is good for using in pilafs.

Kitchen math:

1 cup uncooked rice = about 3 cups cooked

Don’t have it?

Jasmine rice or long-grain rice are decent, though not perfect, substitutes.

How to choose:

Look in the rice section of your supermarket for imported basmati in small boxes or large cloth sacks. Domestic basmati, grown in California and Texas (called Texmati) is good, but it usually isn’t as aromatic as imported varieties.

How to prep:

Basmati needs to soak for half an hour or more before cooking. The soaking allows the grains to start absorbing water slowly so they cook more evenly and don’t break up.

Check out a post from The Food Geek’s blog for a few excellent tips on how tosoak and prepare basmati rice.

How to store:

White basmati rice will keep almost indefinitely in the pantry. Like all brown rices, brown basmati rice will go rancid after a few months; you can prolong its life by storing it in the refrigerator.

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Recipes

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  Recipe

  Baked Rice with Confit Tomatoes and Garlic

  This was my go-to side for a few months, working well with pretty much anything else on the table. There’s also enough going on, flavor-wise, for it to be lovely…

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  Recipe

  Basic Rice Pilaf

  It’s easy to tailor a rice pilaf to your taste. For example, add minced garlic or other aromatics with the onion, and fold in fresh herbs just before serving.

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  Recipe

  Golden Turmeric Rice

  Serve this gorgeous, aromatic rice with roast chicken or braised lamb.

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  Recipe

  Persian Saffron Rice

  Three kinds of rice come from one pot: light, fluffy, buttery white rice; rice flavored with saffron; and a crunchy fried rice cake (called tahdig). For best results, use a…

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  Recipe

  Chinese Black Pepper and Shrimp Fried Rice

  You might be surprised at just how much heat freshly ground black pepper can bring to this dish. Green cabbage, corn, and cucumber add freshness and crunch.

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  Recipe

  Keralan Fried Chicken with Lowcountry Cardamom Waffles

  Atlanta chef Asha Gomez's fragrant, crunchy fried chicken brilliantly connects the dots between her culinary past (growing up in the Kerala region of India) and present. It's marinated overnight in…

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  Recipe

  Turkey Biryani

  In India, the aromatic rice dish known as biryani consists of layering cooked rice with spiced meat or vegetables before baking it. In this simplified version, everything is cooked in…

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  Recipe

  Lemony Rice Pilaf with Scallions

  This simple side dish is perfect for those nights when you have very little in your fridge. Serve with grilled fish, chicken, or shrimp.

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  Recipe

  Rice and Lentils with Ham

  Ham brings a salty-sweet savoriness to this twist on the Arabic dish mujaddara, a mix of lentils, rice, and aromatics found throughout the Middle East. Serve with a fresh green…