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How to cook Plain rice in a microwave

I decided to put up this recipe as an afterthought. I have put up Tuver Dal, Sambar, Mung beans curry and Kadhi and some curries as well and Plain rice is usually something that goes well with these Dals and Kadhi. This was one of my first posts on my blog along with Tuver Dal back in 2011.

I put in Ghee in the Rice bowl itself for a simple reason. If Ghee is carried on the Table, the quantity eaten would be blasphemous. But this way I not only manage to coat every Rice grain with Ghee and at the same time control the tempting dollops. 🙂

My family is not Ghee deprived 🙂

My aim in uploading basic recipes is to highlight a simple fact. Indian kitchens are never out of certain basics like rice, lentils, wheat flour, dry spices like cinnamon, cloves, pepper.., ginger, garlic, chillies-green or dried, salt, sugar, jaggery, Ghee, oil etc. Aren’t these enough to come up with a simple meal of Dal-rice, curd-rice or a simple Alu/potato subzi and Roti ?


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How to cook Plain rice in a microwave
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Course: Accompaniment
Cuisine: Gujarati, Indian-Vegetarian
Servings: 2 People
Ingredients
  • Ingredients:
  • 1 cup Rice Washed thrice- for quantity be your own judge
  • 2 tsps. Cow's Ghee/ Clarified butter
  • 3 cups water to the proportion of RICE: WATER = 1 : 3
Instructions
  1. In a microwavable bowl, place the required quantity of the fragrant grains.
  2. With every wash drain the water from the bowl. Wash the Rice thrice to remove all sorts of smells and residues.
  3. Add fresh / sweet water to the proportion of RICE: WATER=1:3
  4. Add 2 tsps. (you are free to add more if you like) Ghee.
  5. Put the Bowl in the microwave for anywhere between 15 to 20 mins.
  6. Check rice. If There is water at the bowl's base continue for 2-3 mins. more.
  7. Microwaved rice is ready.
Recipe Notes

When there is a will there is always a meal and a smiling family!  A home-cooked meal is MY deal 🙂

HAPPY COOKING & Cook at home with Cook-at-home

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Veggie Pulao

A non-spicy, healthy, full of refreshing veggies rice dish made from the long-grained Basmati rice, potatoes, carrots, chick peas. Microwave compatible

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Veggie Pulao
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 
A non-spicy, healthy, full of refreshing veggies rice dish made from the long-grained Basmati rice, potatoes, carrots, chick peas. Microwave compatible
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian-Vegetarian
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients - for the Microwave
  • A Microwave safe bowl
  • 3.5 -4 Cups water
  • salt to taste
  • 1-2 Cups Chick Peas pre-boiled or canned, also known as Kabuli chana
  • Handful Green Beans washed and cut to small pieces
  • 2 Medium sized Carrots cleaned washed and cut to small pieces
  • 1 Medium Potatoes washed peeled and cut to small pieces
  • 1.5 cups Basmati Rice washed well & soaked- keep aside
Ingredients for the Wok
  • A non-stick "chinese style" Wok
  • 2 Tbsps. Cow's Ghee/ Clarified butter Cow's Ghee/ or quantity to liking
  • 1 tsp. Sesame oil adding a little oil to ghee stops the ghee from burning
  • 1 tsp. Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 1 tsp. Mustard seeds / Rai
  • 3 Green Chillies slit vertically, non-spicy, we don't want chilli rice!
  • 1 Cup Cilantro / Coriander / Kothmir/Hara Dhania - washed and finely chopped also known as Kothmir/Hara Dhania - washed and finely chopped
  • 7-8 Shallots peeled, washed & cut
  • 2 BellPeppers/ Capsicum- washed washed, very large, deseeded & cut to small pieces
  • 2 Garlic buds crushed and chopped
  • 1 Onions medium size, peeled, washed & cut
  • 1 Onions medium size, peeled, washed & cut
  • 2 BellPeppers/ Capsicum- washed very large, deseeded & cut to small pieces
Instructions
  1. Method (For the Microwave) In the microwave safe bowl, drain water & throw in the rice Add rest of the ingredients. Add salt to taste.
  2. Add 3.5 -4 Cups Water. Microwave till done.
  3. My microwave on a high power took 22 minutes.
  4. Once done remove from microwave & let cool.
  5. FOR THE WOK:- While the rice was in the Microwave I finished rest of the cutting/chopping
  6. Place the wok on a low flame Let it heat well Add 1tsp. Cumin/ Jeera ,1 tsp. Mustard seeds/ Raai NOW add Cow's Ghee/ Clarified butter or quantity to liking & sesame oil let crackle
  7. add onions saute till transluscent
  8. Add Cilantro/Coriander/Kothmir/Hara Dhania, BellPeppers/ Capsicum & green Chillies Saute till the onions turn a fine pink- not brown
  9. Add the microwaved rice,
  10. taste salt, adjust
  11. Mix well & plate well Feel the veggies taste individually although its a medley

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Tomato Rice


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Tomato Rice
This simple one-dish meal of Tomato rice that goes well with yummy home-set cooling curds. Here's the recipe for 2 People
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian-Vegetarian
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cups Rice pre cooked fresh or leftover- ( decide by individual appetite)
  • 2 tbsp. Sesame oil any non-pungent oil
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 1 tsp. Mustard seeds / Rai
  • 2 tsp Cumin seeds / Jeera
  • 3-4 pinches Asafoetida
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric powder
  • Cumin-coriander powder / Dhania Jeera powder Dhania Jeera powder
  • 1 tsp. Red Chilli Powder optional
  • 6-8 Tomatoes medium size
  • 3 Onions roughly or finely chopped,as per liking
  • 2 Garlic bulbs peeled & grated
  • 3 Green Chillies vertically slit
  • 2 Fresh Ginger/ Adrak / aadu peeled & grated
  • 1 small bunch Cilantro / Coriander / Kothmir/Hara Dhania - washed and finely chopped washed & finely chopped ( i didnt have that 🙂 )
  • salt to taste
  • Sugar to taste - optional
  • Wok large, broad, non-stick
  • Pav Bhaji Masala as per liking
Instructions
  1. Place the wok on medium heat. Pour Sesame, oil, do not let it smoke Add mustard seeds, let it crackle. Add cumin, let it brown
  2. Add Asafoetida Add Green chilli & Curry leaves
  3. Add onion, stir & saute till pink
  4. Add the grated ginger garlic let cook till 3-4 minutes,
  5. Add Chopped tomatoes,turmeric powder & Cumin-coriander powder/ Dhania Jeera powder
  6. Stir, cover and cook
  7. Allow tomatoes to go soft add Salt & Sugar
  8. Mix well & do not cover, let sugar & salt taste to set in Mix well
  9. Add RICE
  10. Mix well without breaking Rice grain, Leave for another 5 minutes
  11. Transfer to a serving bowl Serve with sweet cardamom lassi or plain cool yogurt