Indian Mustard Seed and Yogurt Pullao

As much as I enjoy rice with some butter, a bit of sea salt and some freshly cracked black pepper, it is fun to dress up this staple grain. I adapted this recipe from Silk Road Cooking, which has become my favorite cookbook lately.

This creamy and flavorful rice is an ideal accompaniment to a hearty vegetable soup. So nourishing, and a treat anytime of year. A good biscuit or scone just makes the meal all the more fulfilling. I used some grainy dijon mustard in this dish and all of my guests were most pleased and were asking for seconds. I so like to serve my close friends a good meal.

Indian Mustard Seed and Yogurt Pullao

4 tablespoons of ghee, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 hot green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
pinch of saffron
1 cup of basmati rice
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 cups of water
1 cup of yogurt, beaten
1 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Rinse the rice well in a strainer. Transfer to a bowl and cover with water and let sit for at least 30 - 60 minutes. Drain and air dry for another 20 minutes.

In a medium pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or butter over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds and stir and fry until they begin to pop. Add the ginger, garlic, chilies, Dijon mustard, cayenne and saffron to the pot and stir and fry for another minute or two. Remove the mixture and transfer to a small bowl.

In the same pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter, add the rice and salt and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in the water and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and cook until the water is absorbed - roughly 15 - 20 minutes.

Remove the rice from the heat, sprinkle with the fried spices, and swirl the yogurt over top and add the parsley to the pot. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Serves 4

More rice recipes from Lisa's Kitchen:
Indian Lemon Brown Rice
Black Mustard Seed Rice
Tamarind Rice
Rice Pongal

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