Rajam's Fried Rice

 Whenever amma made fried rice, it was quite dramatic.  There was hustle and bustle - scraping of coconut, getting the wood stove ready for the hot coals and so on. 

The rice was soaked, drained and laid out to dry. Then it was cooked in the coconut milk that was freshly squeezed out of the scraped coconut.  While cooking, the rice was carefully monitored to make sure it was taken off the stove when it was about 3/4 done.  It was then covered with a wet porous cloth - almost like chux but 100% cotton and meant just for this.  The hot rice was covered with the cloth on the top, then the lid placed over it and sealed with dough. Once the lid was sealed then you placed the hot coals on top and let it cook at its own pace for another half an hour or so.

We kids would hop around waiting for the rice to be out of that pot that looked scary and irresistible at the same time.  This method of cooking is called "dum" - and sealing the container with dough meant that no steam would escape from the pot.  The result was fragrant, fluffy rice which was then garnished with cashew nuts and sultanas and served hot with amma's chicken kurma. Afterwards it would be a food coma - and now when I think of these times, they are my sweetest memories.

The original recipe has been re-written by me to suit a time pressed person who is going to use modern equipment to cook this dish.

Ingredients:

3 cups fine basmati rice – wash several times, then soak in water for 20 minutes, drain and set aside

2 large red onion, sliced.  Reserve some for garnish

2 tomatoes, sliced

4 green chillies, slit

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1 tin coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

A pinch of saffron

4-5 cardamoms

1-piece cinnamon

6 cloves

2 bay leaves (Cinnamonum Tamala)

2 tablespoons ghee

2 tablespoon cashewnuts

1 tablespoon sultanas

Salt to taste.

Method:

Heat oven to 200 deg C.

Measure the coconut milk into a bowl and add enough water to make up 6 cups of liquid. Use the same cup you measured the rice with.  Add the turmeric powder and saffron to the coconut milk and set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a Dutch Oven (Cast Iron Casserole dish).

Add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves.

When they release their fragrance – takes a minute or so, add the sliced onions.  Fry till it becomes golden.  Then add the rest of the sliced ingredients and ginger garlic paste and sauté.

Add the prepared coconut milk and salt to taste. As soon as the coconut milk starts boiling, add the drained rice.

Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes.  Then close the lid tight and put the whole thing in the oven for about 30 minutes.

While the rice is getting done, prepare your garnish.

In a small saucepan, heat a tablespoon of ghee. Fry the reserved onions till they turn golden.  Set aside.  Next roast the cashew nuts till they turn crisp and gold.  Finally, fry the sultanas till they turn plump.

When you take the rice out, fluff it up with a fork and add the garnish on top.  Serve hot with Rajam’s Green Chicken Kurma and Raita.