‘Good food is very often, even most often, simple food’. Anthony Bourdain
This is an easy, one pot dish. It was made by my grandma on fasting days, as it does not contain onions or garlic. Onions and garlic are seen to excite the mind and so are often omitted when fasting. If you have ever had the honour of eating at a monastery in the east or an ashram, you may have noticed this.
To add depth of flavour many spices are used in this dish. Turmeric gives an earthy tone. The cloves, dried chilli and pepper corns are left whole and add the taste of the spice without making it spicy. The lemon juice adds a pop of acid.
I love using Turmeric for its earthy tone and health benefits. Mr B always knows when I have been using the fresh root, as I inevitably end up with yellow hands!
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
- 4.5 cups of water
- 3 dried chilis
- ½ tsp. peppercorns
- ½ tsp. cloves
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup frozen/fresh vegetables
Method
- Rinse the rice until the water goes clear (4-6 times). Leave to soak for 30 minutes, then drain
- Add the rice to a pot, along with the water and all the other ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil and then down to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning
- Basmati rice is tri-doshic. In excess it can aggravate Kapha, so switch out for brown rice from time to time
