Parsi Brown Rice
Veg
Vegan
Basmati rice cooked with deeply caramelised onions and a few whole spices — the onions are fried in ghee or oil until they turn a dark amber-brown, releasing their sugars, before the soaked rice is added and the whole pot cooked together. The caramelisation gives the rice a warm, mahogany colour and a slightly sweet, nutty undertone that pairs perfectly with the sour-sweet gravy of dhansak. Inseparable from the dhansak plate; if dhansak is the Parsi national dish, brown rice is its mandatory companion.
Cuisines
Parsi
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | basmati rice |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee or oil |
| 1 small | onion, finely sliced |
| 1 stick | cinnamon |
| 2 | cloves |
| 2 | green cardamom pods |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons | salt |
| 2 cups | water |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes, then drain.
- 2 Heat ghee or oil in a pan over medium heat.
- 3 Add the sliced onion and sauté until golden brown.
- 4 Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, and bay leaf to the pan, and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
- 5 Add the drained rice to the pan and sauté gently for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the rice is coated with the ghee and spices.
- 6 Add the salt and water to the pan, and bring to a boil.
- 7 Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed.
- 8 Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for another 5 minutes before fluffing it with a fork and serving.
Tips
For extra flavour, use whole spices in the oil first.