Rice

A staple grain that is grown nearly everywhere, rice is served with almost every meal in most parts of India, so it is no surprise that the Indians have created a variety of distinctive ways of cooking it. Plain boiled rice, cooked by the absorption method, is an everyday accompaniment to curries and other wet dishes. For special occasions and entertaining, it is often combined with other ingredients to make delectable pilaus and biryanis. Basmati rice is the grain of choice in most regions.

There is no definitive way to cook plain rice, but whatever the recipe, the aim is to produce dry, separate-grained rice that is cooked through yet still retains some bite. The secret is the amount of water added: the rice must be able to absorb it all, so it must be added in the correct ratio.