Recipes

Three ways to turn basmati into a meal

A celebratory biryani, a fiery curry dinner and an everyday cumin rice – all from the same bag. Each recipe serves four.

Celebration dish · Serves 4 · 1 h 15 min

Chicken biryani

Rice and marinated chicken steamed in layers. The long basmati grains stay separate, so the result is light rather than stodgy.

Ingredients

500 g NORD Basmati XXXL
800 g chicken thighs, cut into pieces
300 ml thick yoghurt
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves and 3 cm ginger, grated
2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder
4 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 2 bay leaves
100 ml fresh coriander and mint
a pinch of saffron in 100 ml warm milk
melted butter or oil, salt

Method

  1. Mix the chicken with the yoghurt, garlic and ginger, garam masala, turmeric, chilli and salt. Marinate for at least an hour.
  2. Fry the onion slices in plenty of oil until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
  3. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 20 minutes. Boil in plenty of salted water with the whole spices for only 5–6 minutes, until the grains are half cooked. Drain.
  4. Brown the marinated chicken in a heavy-based pot and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
  5. Spread the rice over the chicken in an even layer. Scatter over the fried onions, herbs and saffron milk, then drizzle with melted butter.
  6. Steam under a tight lid on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
  7. Rest for 10 minutes. Fold the layers together gently with a fork only when serving.

Tip: serve with raita and lemon wedges. Biryani reheats well, so it can be made the day before.

Weeknight · Serves 4 · 45 min

Spicy tomato chicken curry with basmati

A thick tomato sauce that basmati soaks up without losing its texture. Adjust the heat with the amount of chilli.

Ingredients

400 g NORD Basmati XXXL
600 g chicken breast, cut into strips
1 large onion, 3 garlic cloves, 3 cm ginger
1 tin (400 g) chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
200 ml double cream or coconut milk
2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric
1–2 fresh chillies or 1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala, salt, oil
fresh coriander

Method

  1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 20 minutes.
  2. Soften the chopped onion in oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for a minute.
  3. Add the dry spices and fry for half a minute, until the aroma strengthens. This step decides the flavour of the sauce.
  4. Add the chicken strips and brown. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and purée, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Cook the rice: one part rice to one and a half parts water, covered, for 10–12 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Stir the cream or coconut milk into the sauce and season with salt and garam masala.
  7. Loosen the rice with a fork and serve the curry beside it rather than on top – that keeps the grains separate.

Tip: for a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for chickpeas and roasted cauliflower.

Side dish · Serves 4 · 25 min

Jeera rice (cumin rice)

The simplest way to get the best out of basmati. Cumin toasted in butter adds a nutty aroma; otherwise the flavour is the rice's own.

Ingredients

300 g NORD Basmati XXXL
450 ml water
2 tbsp butter or ghee
2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 bay leaf
2 cardamom pods and 1 small cinnamon stick
1 tsp salt
fresh coriander

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Soak for 20 minutes and drain.
  2. Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan. Toast the cumin seeds for about 30 seconds, until they start to crackle and release their aroma.
  3. Add the bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon. Tip in the drained rice and turn it gently for a minute so every grain is coated.
  4. Add the water and salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat to its lowest setting and cook covered for 10–12 minutes without stirring.
  5. Take off the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.
  6. Loosen the grains with a fork and fold in the chopped coriander.

Tip: do not stir the rice while it cooks – the grains break and the result turns sticky.

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All three from the same bag

NORD Basmati Rice XXXL 1121 – in 5 and 20 kg packs. The same rice for everyday cooking and for celebrations.

Order online