Rice is not just a staple in India but in many Southeast Asian homes. Granted that the way we prepare rice differs from community to community, a pot of well-done rice is the key to a hearty meal.
If you’re looking for ideas to make rice-based dishes throughout the week while also enjoying a variety of flavours and textures, save this blog post and also share it with others who love rice just as much as you do.
Pulav
Pulav is nothing but rice cooked in a broth along with spices and vegetables. You can choose broth of any kind for this dish.
It is fragrant and one of the easiest rice dishes to prepare.
If you have green peas, carrots, bay leaves, and cloves at home, you have almost everything you’d need to put together a plate of aromatic pulav.
One of the reasons why people love pulav is because of the airy, light texture it has while also being mild in flavour. You may have heard of it as pilaf or even pulao.
Biryani
Of Persian origin, this rice dish has been around since the Mughal period in India.
Traditionally, biryani is made with basmati rice, spices, meat, and potato, which is then placed in a clay pot and cooked in an oven to give it that rich, smoky taste.
Today, biryani can be prepared even in a pressure cooker with the right mix of veggies and spices such as cardamom, pepper, star anise, cloves, etc.
If you enjoy nonvegetarian food, chicken or mutton biryani would be a great way to incorporate some protein into your diet. Vegetarians can opt to make paneer biryani.
Kanji
Kanji, also referred to as congee in other countries, is a rice-based porridge that is often eaten when one is unwell.
It has a lot more water content than khichdi or curd rice, giving it a soup-like appearance.
This is also the reason why it is praised for its healing abilities. Kanji packs the nutrition of rice and also helps maintain blood sugar.
Typically, in Kerala, kanji is had with a side of green gram/ moong dal that is cooked in a coconut mixture, which makes the meal so much more filling.
Fried Rice
Fried rice is a dish that has no limits. You can even prepare a different kind each day for an entire week.
Set aside some parboiled rice and fire up a pan. Get in as many veggies as you can, even if it’s in a 1:1 ratio with rice (or more, we won’t judge!).
With some garlic, spring onion, and green chillies, you won’t feel the need to add Chinese seasonings like soy sauce to make this dish a grand success.
Bisi Bele Bath
A dish originating from Karnataka in South India, bisi bele bath is spicy and tangy.
It was once a recipe formulated in the royal palaces of the state and only spread across Karnataka hundreds of years later.
The difference between khichdi and bisi bele bath lies in the lentils used and the combination of spices.
Some of the most common vegetables added to bisi bele bath are carrots, green peas, drumsticks, turnips, and capsicum.
Khichdi
A good way to consume some lentils, khichdi is a flavourful one-pot meal.
In some households, it’s prepared similarly to porridge, whereas others prefer the khichdi rice to have a more light fluffy texture.
Considered a healthy meal, khichdi is easily made in a pressure cooker. Just add your choice of lentil and rice to a tempering of ghee, cumin seeds and turmeric.
If you want some accompaniments, curd, pickle, and chutneys make the already delicious khichdi even more drool-worthy.
Curd Rice
Simple and comforting, curd rice is the perfect dish to keep you cool. You can even use leftover rice from the day before.
Mix together cooked rice, curd, and salt. Add a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chillies.
It may look bland but has just the right balance of flavours from the nuttiness of the mustard seeds to the spiciness of the green chillies.
When you can have these many varieties of rice in a week, it’s no wonder that thousands of people love eating rice every day.
What’s your favourite go-to rice dish? Tell us in the comments below.
Or better yet, share snaps of your meal and Malgudi Days kaapi with us by tagging us on Instagram.
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