Garlic Rice - Made in 15 minutes

Garlic is something that's not part of the traditional Brahmin diet (I personally think that it was banned because it gives you bad breath). However, my grandma often insists that we, the youngsters (her grand children) should include it in our food, as it has amazing properties and health benefits, especially for the heart/cardio-vascular system.

Two years back, I had to eat Garlic rice at an Indonesian restaurant, as there was nothing else vegetarian on their menu! There was no Paneer-Butter Masala or anything spicy to go with it and I grabbed for a bottle for chilly sauce :( That was my first time with Garlic rice. However, I loved it and it's definitely because of the roasted garlic. (What else could be in it? Hahaha :D)

Nowadays, I make Garlic rice quite frequently at home, especially when I make a grand sabji/ side dish to go with it. My hubby loves garlic and I do include good amounts of garlic in our diet.

I concocted the recipe and it is obviously Indianized...

What I Used -

Garlic rice - prep

Garlic - 1 bulb (10 cloves)
Ghee / Clarified butter - 1 tsp + 1 tsp (Unsalted butter works too)
Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 1 tsp
Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups
Onions (finely chopped ) - 1 medium (optional)
Salt - to taste
Cashewnuts - about 12
Fresh coriander - to garnish

How I Made It -

• Wash, Rinse and then Soak Basmati rice in water for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop garlic into fine pieces. Chop an onion if you like to add it. You could omit onion if you feel that Garlic should be the star of the recipe!
• Take a pan, melt ghee and roast cashewnuts and keep aside. 

 

• Take the same pan, melt 1 tsp ghee and add jeera/cumin seeds and spread the ghee to the sides of the pan. 
• Add finely chopped garlic and let it get roasted well. You know it's done when you get the aroma :) Take care not to burn them.

• Strain water from the rice and add rice to the pan and fry it for 3 minutes with garlic, jeera and ghee.
• Switch off the gas.
• Transfer to your your electric rice cooker/pressure cooker and cook until done (2 whistles sufficient).
• Garnish with ghee-roasted cashewnuts. Optionally, you may add finely chopped fresh coriander. 

Garlic fried Rice

Serve with a North-Indian gravy like Paneer-Butter Masala or Palak Paneer or Malai Beans Sabji