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American long grain rice is the other choice. But, while it is cheaper and meatier, it does not have the elegant scent of basmati or its enjoyable texture in the mouth.
Short grain rice is used for risotto and rice puddings. It can absorb twice or more of its weight in liquid, and should retain a tiny opaque pearl of hardness in the centre when perfectly cooked. There are many brands, most of which perform their task well, but makers of specialist varieties from Italy or Spain will wax on about their superiority – which is, in my view, less obvious than it is with genuine basmati.
to cook basmati or long grain white rice
The following method should solve your rice troubles, but given time you will instinctively know when to turn off the heat, how long to leave the lid on, and so on. I like to wash and soak the rice first, as it shortens the cooking time by a few minutes and also helps to produce perfectly cooked, unbroken grains. However, you can omit this procedure if you prefer.
Serves 4–8, depending on appetite
480g/1 lb long grain white rice
600ml/1 pint water
To wash the rice, place it in a saucepan, fill the pan with water, then swirl the rice around a bit to release the starch. Carefully pour most of the water away, leaving the rice in the pan. Repeat twice, then cover the rice with water again and leave to soak for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Drain the rice in a sieve, then return it to the pan and add the 600ml/l pint of water. Bring to the boil, stirring once. Let the rice simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed, then cover the pan with a well-fitting lid – put foil between the lid and the pan if it is loose. You do not want the vapour to escape. Turn the heat down very low and continue to cook for 5–7 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice for a further 5 minutes, without removing the lid. Fork the rice to loosen the grains and it is ready to eat.
kitchen note
Regular rice cooks rely on their rice steamers, which not only cook perfect rice but keep it warm safely. The best are available from Asian shops.
how to store cooked rice
Cool the rice quickly in the pan with the lid slightly off, immersing the base of the pan in a bowl of very cold or iced water. When the rice is cold, transfer it immediately to a clean plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. It will keep in the fridge for about five days. Smell it and inspect for deterioration before use.
The following three recipes serve two and can be made in minutes – they make perfect TV dinners.
fried rice
An enormous bowl of this, on the knee – a big cup of jasmine tea beside – makes an immaculate dinner on its own.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
a few drops of sesame oil
2 helpings of cooked basmati rice (see here)
4 spring onions, chopped
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons frozen peas
Heat the oils in a non-stick frying pan or a well-seasoned wok, add the rice and stir-fry quickly over a high heat. Mix the spring onions with the beaten egg, push the rice to the edge of the pan and pour in the egg mixture. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring, for a minute. Bring the rice back over the egg and stir thoroughly but with a light touch, flicking the egg through the rice. Once the egg has turned from transparent to pale yellow, stir in the peas, heat for a minute until they defrost and warm through, and eat.
cooked rice with coconut, lemongrass and galangal
Southeast Asian shops can be few and far between but passing one should mean popping in for tubs of real green, red and yellow curry paste, coconut cream and milk, huge bags of rice, galangal, fresh lime leaves and lemongrass. This rice meal takes the edge off the craving for a sour-hot curry, but without the need for a fresh supply of meat.
Serves 2
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 red pepper, cut into 1cm/1/2 inch squares (optional)
2cm/3/4 inch piece of lemongrass, outer layers removed, then
very thinly sliced
2cm/3/4 inch piece of fresh galangal, crushed, or fresh ginger
2 fresh or dried lime leaves
250ml/8fl oz canned coconut milk, or 4cm/11/2 inches cut from
a block of coconut cream and broken into 250ml/8fl oz water
2 helpings of cooked basmati rice (see here)
leaves from 4 sprigs of mint or basil
salt
Put the oil in a saucepan with the curry paste and heat through. Add the red pepper, if using, plus the lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves, followed by the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the rice and bring back to the boil, then stir in the herbs and season with salt to taste. Tip into bowls and eat with a spoon.
aubergine and pumpkin seed rice
When I want a warm and filling lunch that will not see me slump fast asleep over my desk mid afternoon, I heat a little cooked rice in a pan with some cooked vegetables, cumin and a few nuts or seeds. I eat it with plain yoghurt – there is usually some in the fridge – and a teaspoon of bought harissa, the hot pepper sauce of North Africa. The fresh ingredients in the following recipe could be replaced by tomatoes, shallots, spring greens, squash or pumpkin.
Serves 2
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 aubergine, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 tablespoon green pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons stock or water
2 helpings of cooked basmati rice (see here)
leaves from 2 sprigs of mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a pan and add the aubergine, onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the aubergine is soft, then add the pumpkin seeds, cumin and stock or water. Mix in the rice and reheat thoroughly. Add the mint and season to taste.
kitchen notes
kedgeree
We made this for a big Christening party recently and agreed that kedgeree is hard-to-beat party food. The bare bones can be made in advance and assembled just before everyone arrives. It’s also incredibly rich. A little fish goes a long way in kedgeree, which is an advantage with the high price of sustainable fish. For information on how to choose fish, see here.
Serves 8–12
480g/1 lb smoked fish fillet – haddock, pollack or hot-smoked
organic salmon (see the Shopping Guide)
1 onion, cut in half
6 cardamom pods, crushed
250ml/8fl oz creamy milk
90ml/3fl oz single cream
1 quantity of cooked basmati rice (see here)
180g/6oz cooked peeled North Atlantic prawns (optional)
1cm/1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground in a pestle and mortar
6 fennel seeds, toasted and ground as above
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
30g/1oz butter, melted
4 semi-soft boiled eggs (see here), peeled and quartered
8 sprigs of coriander, chopped
Put the fish in a pan with the onion and cardamom pods and pour over the milk and cream. Place over a medium heat and bring up to boiling point. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until the fish begins to firm up and flake apart (if you are using hot-smoked salmon, you will not need to cook it – just bring to the boil). Strain off the creamy milk and reserve.
Break the fish into large flakes, discarding any skin or bones, and mix lightly with the rice and prawns. Add the remaining spices, pour over the reserved creamy milk and the melted butter and mix quite thoroughly. Strew the eggs on top and scatter over the coriander.
rice, cucumber and dill salad
The herbs lend their aromas, the onion seed gives a sharp little kick and the cucumber cools down this salad. It will not spoil if you take it to work in a carton. It’s also very good eaten outdoors, with barbecued sardines or lamb.
Serves 2
2 helpings of cooked basmati rice (see here)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
a pinch of sea salt
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthways, then peeled, deseeded
and sliced
4 sprigs of dill, chopped
4 sprigs of chervil, if available, or flat-leaf parsley, torn into
smaller sprigs
1/2 teaspoon black onion seeds (nigella)
freshly ground black pepper
Put the rice in a deep bowl, add the oil, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Add a little more oil if you want a wetter salad. Add the cucumber and dill and mix again. Strew the chervil leaves on top. Throw over the onion seeds and finish with a grind or two of black pepper.
short grain rice
There are various traditional risotto recipes in the Stock chapter (see here) but here is the store-method recipe.
store-method risotto
This technique is used in very busy Italian restaurants that want to be able to make a genuine risotto in 15, not 30, minutes. Although it is frowned upon by purists, it is very useful for anyone who works long hours.
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
300 g/10 oz short grain Italian rice, such as Arborio
1 glass of white wine (optional)
1–1.5 litres/13/4–21/2 pints chicken, vegetable or beef stock
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook until soft. Add the rice and cook, stirring (preferably with a wooden fork), for 1 minute. Stir in the glass of wine, if using. When it has been absorbed, begin to add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly over a medium heat. After 10–15 minutes, taste the rice – it should be half cooked, with a white, opaque centre. Strain it, reserving any cooking liquor. Cool the cooking liquor, add it to the remaining stock and store in the fridge, clearly marked. Spread the rice out on a plastic tray, no more than 2cm/3/4 inch deep. Allow to cool, cover with cling film and store in the fridge. It will keep for 2–3 days.
To finish the risotto, cut a piece of the rice from the tray – as much as you need – and put it in a pan. Cover with just enough of the cooking liquor to make it sloppy when stirred. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and cook gently for a few minutes, until the rice is tender but firm to the bite – al dente. Do not stir. The risotto should be cooked perfectly and ready for Parmesan or a grated hard ewe’s milk cheese, plus any other ingredients (see the recipes here for risotto inspiration).
fried risotto cakes
Leftover risotto can be shaped into little cakes – a cube of mozzarella hidden inside – then dipped first in flour, then beaten egg, then dried breadcrumbs. Shallow-fry them in a little olive oil and eat as a lunch dish, with a lush green salad.
couscous, bulgar and other grains
This is my sister Sam’s domain. She runs Moro, the Moorish-influenced London restaurant, with her husband, Sam, and they know more about grains and allied North African dishes than I can shake a stick at. But in the New English Kitchen, where your pricy piece of meat is reserved for special occasions, grains provide diversity – a lively change from rice. Use whole durum wheat (sometimes sold as pasta wheat or Ebly) in broths (see here) and salads, and use grains such as bulgar wheat (cracked whole wheat) and couscous (grains of semolina paste made from durum wheat) in salads with herbs. If you have the chance, buy your grains – along with wonderfully fresh nuts, juicy dried fruits and big bunches of herbs – from Middle Eastern shops. They usually do good bulk deals and take great pride in the quality of these essential goodies. Middle Eastern shops also sell a finer version of bulgar, the true grain to use in a tabbouleh salad with parsley, oil and lemon juice. Couscous is usually sold pre-cooked in the UK, and needs only moistening with water.
to make a store of couscous
To create a store of 6 helpings, put a 240g/8oz teacupful of couscous in a plastic container that will take twice that amount and pour over 200ml/7fl oz cold water and 3 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring. Stir in a large pinch of salt and leave the couscous to swell. After 15 minutes, test the grains to see if they are tender – add a little more water if they are still dry. Use a fork to loosen the grains, then cover the container and put it in the fridge, where it will keep for about 5 days.
Couscous can be eaten very simply with boiled purple sprouting broccoli (see here) or with the baked chick pea recipe (see here). For a decorative, mighty feast, see the recipe below. Its flavour benefits from being made well in advance.
reheating couscous
There are two ways to do this. Put the couscous in an ovenproof dish with a large knob of butter, cover with foil and place in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes. Alternatively, melt some butter in a pan, add the couscous and stir over a low heat until warmed through.
a couscous feast
It must be 20 years since I first saw a bowl of hot couscous next to a grand platter of simmered meats and vegetables. It was in France, close to the Mediterranean coast, where merguez sausages, tabbouleh and harissa – a paste made with hot red peppers – could be bought in almost every grocery. Then it seemed so alien. Now couscous, like risotto and dal, has become neo-English; it has a second home and a new following. I like to cook it in a festive way, covering the table with all the component dishes: a large platter of braised lamb and poultry, plus steamed courgettes, carrots, runner beans and golden beetroot (when I can find it – the colour of red beetroot invades in an unpleasant way). There’s a bowl filled with fresh parsley and mint leaves, another with toasted nuts and golden sultanas, a dish of harissa, and finally a large pan filled with the cooking juices from the meat, ready to ladle over everything. It’s probably inauthentic, but it works.
Serves 8 generously (I am always happy to have leftovers from this for reheating later)
2 small, corn-fed chickens, jointed and skinned (ask the butcher to
prepare them for you, with the lamb)
8 lamb shanks, trimmed of fat
10 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 onions, finely chopped
about 2 litres/31/2 pints water or chicken stock
120g/4oz butter
2 teaspoons ground coriander
8 spring carrots, trimmed of leaves, then halved lengthways
4 courgettes, cut lengthways into quarters
about 10 runner beans, cut on the diagonal into 2cm/3/4 inch lengths
240g/8oz string beans
4 golden beetroot, scrubbed, cut into quarters, and boiled for
30 minutes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
leaves from 8 sprigs of parsley
leaves from 8 sprigs of mint
4 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted in a dry frying pan until golden
4 tablespoons sultanas or 4 dried figs, sliced
harissa sauce (available from Middle Eastern shops and
specialist shops)
480g/1lb couscous, cooked (see here)
Put the chickens in one saucepan and the lamb in your largest pan. Throw half the parsley and half the onion into each pan. Grind about half a teaspoon of black pepper into each, then cover with the water or stock. Bring to the boil, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface. Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, then put half the butter and ground coriander into each pan. Let the chicken simmer for another 20 minutes, then turn off the heat. Continue to cook the lamb for 11/2 hours; it should become very tender.
Put all the vegetables in a steamer, or simply put them on top of the lamb, and cook, covered, for 10–12 minutes, until they are just tender. Bring the chicken back to the boil (if there is no room for all the vegetables in the lamb pan, you could put the rest in with the chicken and cook as for the lamb).
To serve, put the herbs, almonds and sultanas or figs into separate bowls. Lift out the meat and arrange it on a large dish with the vegetables all around. Pour all the stock into a pan, then taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Bring back to the boil. Spoon the heated couscous on to each serving plate, followed by the meat and vegetables, then some of the herbs, nuts and sultanas or figs. Ladle over the stock to moisten, then offer the harissa to those who like a bit of heat in their food.
to make a store of bulgar wheat
Put 240g/8oz bulgar in a pan, cover with water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 8 minutes, until tender. Drain and either use immediately or cool quickly and put into a sealed container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
bulgar and parsley salad for barbecued meat
The salad to make during a parsley glut – you will need a lot of tender leaves.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 helpings of cooked bulgar wheat (see here)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
a pinch of sea salt
8 sprigs of parsley, very finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until golden. Add them to the bulgar wheat with all the other ingredients and stir well. Eat with flat breads (see here) or grilled meat.
lentils
With lentils you enter the realms of pulses, and the many braised dishes that can be made with them. These are foods that can form a meal in their own right, without meat, fish or eggs, because they contain proteins and fats, but you can also feast on them with those foods. Lentils that have been hulled and split, such as red lentils, are best for soft, sloppy dal-like dishes to eat with hot flat breads (see here), while whole lentils belong in stews and salads.
You can make a store of lentils – green ones are good because they will stay firm in a sealed container – eating them once with a big meal, then dipping into them for little dishes of curry, or in salads with semi-soft boiled eggs and herbs.
Puy lentils are the finest. They have blue-grey marbled skins and cost more than standard green lentils, which are over twice the size. Cooked, they have a shiny, almost caviar-like quality and pop pleasingly in your mouth. Both types are easy to overcook, becoming a dry, powdery hash, so keep an eye on them when they are on the go.
to cook puy lentils
Serves about 10
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
480g/1lb Puy lentils
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, onion, lentils and thyme. Swish them around in the warm oil for a minute or two, then cover with water (or stock). Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 minutes; when cooked, the lentils should be tender inside, with firm skins. Add more liquid during cooking if you need to.
Remove the pan from the heat and tip the lentils into a large, cold bowl – it is important to stop the cooking process and – if you are storing them – to cool them quickly before putting them in the fridge. Season with salt and pepper. When the lentils are completely cold, cover and place in the fridge, where they will keep for about 5 days.
kitchen note
Use a combination of red wine and water for a rich lentil stew to eat with beef or game.
lentils and eggs
Undeniably pretty to look at, this recipe has become a picnic lunch regular.
Serves 2
8 heaped tablespoons of cooked lentils (see here)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 sprigs of coriander, chopped
4 semi-soft-boiled eggs (see here), peeled and halved lengthways
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils in a bowl and add the oil, vinegar and three-quarters of the coriander. Season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Spoon on to a flat dish and arrange the eggs on top. Scatter the remaining coriander leaves over them.
kitchen note
You can use a few pinches of a good curry powder to devil up the eggs a bit.
spiced green lentils with buttered spinach
Scoop this rich, green stew up with strips of hot flat bread – either bought naans or bread made using the recipe on here 22.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 heaped tablespoons of cooked lentils (see here)
150ml/1/4 pint water or stock
150g/5oz unsalted butter, melted
480g/1lb frozen spinach leaves, defrosted, the water squeezed out
salt
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and fry over a low heat until it turns the colour of fudge. Add the spices and heat through, then add the lentils and cook for 1 minute, stirring slowly. Add the water or stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and season with salt.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. When it foams, add the spinach and cook for 1 minute, until it wilts. Pour the spinach on top of the lentils, with the butter, and take it to the table without stirring.
braised red lentils with lime juice and fresh ewe’s milk cheese
A meal in itself – soft hulled red lentils, citrus, lots of spice as for dal and lumps of fresh, lemony ewe’s milk cheese – feta is best – added at the end. Serve in big bowls and abandon forks, giving everyone a big spoon instead. It can also be stored in the fridge for a few days and successfully reheated.
Serves 4–6
240g/8oz red lentils
1 onion, chopped
a pinch of ground turmeric
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 hot green chillies, chopped
2cm/3/4 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 kaffir lime leaves, slightly torn
