Jasmine Rice

Years ago, I tried Jasmine rice at a popular Thai restaurant. The rice was a side dish to an incredible stir-fry featuring calamari, peanuts, and spicy Thai chilies. The jasmine rice wasn’t the central star of the meal, but it did make a powerful statement.

The Jasmine rice had a phenomenal aroma, which was different from the regular rice I had grown up eating. From that moment, I became convinced that Jasmine rice was superior to other types of rice.

In this recipe, I’m sharing my top tips on enhancing the beautiful aroma of Jasmine rice. Did you know that Jasmine rice contains an aromatic compound called acetyl-pyrroline, which gives the rice its distinctive aroma? Over-rinsing the rice can wash away some of these compounds. It is essential to rinse the rice only twice, gently swirling it around to remove excess dirt. Avoid rinsing the rice until the water runs clear.  

To amplify the flavor of the Jasmine rice, lightly toast the dry rice in a small amount of butter until it takes on a golden hue. This step will impart a nutty taste to the rice. Thereafter, add water and cook as usual. If you’re cooking rice to accompany Thai food, you can add a few aromatics, such as a piece of smashed lemongrass stalk and kaffir lime leaves, which will give the rice a citrusy makeover.

If you cook with slightly less water, it will increase the flavour of the rice without diluting the aroma. An excess of water will result in soggy rice, which isn’t authentic to the Thai experience. Using a pot with a lid will be beneficial to ensure that the scent doesn’t evaporate in the cooking process. A teaspoon of butter, ghee or coconut oil added at the end will ensure that the fragrant flavours are enhanced.

Did you know that Jasmine rice originates from Thailand. It is a long-grain variety that is slightly sticky in nature, with an alluring and fragrant aroma, this version of rice has become popular around the world.

With Thai food gaining traction on international level, many people are also discovering the incredible taste of Jasmine rice. The most famous variety of this rice is called ‘Hom Mali‘.

Instructions

Depending on the main meal, you can choose to omit or include salt in the cooking process of your jasmine rice. If you are eating a saltier type of food, then cutting back on the salt content in your rice can balance out the flavours in a more harmonious manner. Get your water to boiling point.

Add your rice, Cover with a foil lid or your rice pot lid. After 12 minutes, turn off the heat and let your rice rest for 10 minutes. Make sure that the rice is still covered. The next step is to fluff up your rice.

If you’re making 1 cup of rice, it will feed two to four people. Use 1 1/4 cup of water. Two cups of rice will serve six to eight people. In that case, 2 1/2 cups of water. Use a proper measurement cup to do this, using your coffee mug usually does not cut it. Remember mug sizes will vary.

What can you Serve with Jasmine Rice?

Whether you choose to pair with Stir-fries, Grilled Seafood, Thai Curries and other Asiatic foods, your meal is guaranteed to have a fragrant and beautiful aroma. There are many delicious foods that come from Thailand, alongside it, there will always be a generous serving of Jasmine Rice! Think along the lines of Thai Green Curry, Tom Yum Goong, Doenjang Jjigae, etc. You can also enjoy this fragrant rice with Western dishes. Creamy Chicken thighs would be amazing as a main meal, especially paired with jasmine rice.

How to Store Jasmine Rice?

You can refrigerate this rice overnight. You can also freeze your jasmine rice. However, its so easy to make it from scratch, so its really up to your lifestyle and preferences. If you decide to freeze it, it will last for approximately three months. Thaw by removing it from the fridge, leaving it out on the counter, reheat it on the stove to remove any excess water from freezer frost.