How to cook basmati rice

Receta en español aquí 

Basmati Rice is a variety of long grain rice  whose name in Hindi language means the "queen of fragrance". Basmati rice tastes the best after it is thoroughly washed, so:

Wash the rice  into a large bowl, then filling it with fresh  clean water. 
Change the water several times, to remove excess starch. The water will become clearer each time you change it.

Once  water run clear and not look cloudy, drain and fill the bowl with fresh water again. Allow the rice to sit in the  water for 30 minutes to speed the cooking process.

It’s important to have a saucepan with a thick bottom, to prevent burning the rice, and with a tight fitting lid.

Put a tablespoon of olive oil into a medium saucepan, fry one garlic, add the drained rice and stir until translucent.

Add fresh water and salt. The quantity of water should be:1 cup of rice and 1 1/2 cups water to boil if you want firm rice.

Bring to a boil, stir and  then cover.

Lower the heat,  simmer for  14-15 minutes before turning off the heat. Do not stir the rice during the cooking. Do not lift the lid to peek.

At the end of the cooking time, remove the saucepan from the heat, and stand  covered for  another 5 minutes, until you’re ready to serve.

Remove the lid, and verify that all the water has been absorbed by the rice. Fluff with a fork before serving.

If the rice is still hard, add some extra water and cover again the saucepan, cook it a little more.

If there is still water left in the saucepan when the rice is done, tilt the saucepan to drain it off.

The Basmati rice is perfect as side dish, for example with the chicken tikka masala or  the chicken curry.