Making any flavoured Arabic or Indian style rice, I discovered a few years ago that smoking them will give them an even more intense flavour and really bring life to it. I’ve tried one day cooking two batches of rice- the first smoked. The first batch received so many praises from my guests but when they were all gone, I had to serve the second batch. There was a marked difference. The taste of the rice mind you is the same. Same recipe same rice. But somehow when you smoke the rice…
Let me show you how to smoke the rice. It’s very simple. In a small bowl line it with aluminium foil. Heat a piece of charcoal till its flaming red. Place it in your aluminium bowl. Then, pour a small amount of ghee or butter on the coal and you will immediately see a big billow of smoke. Using thongs carefully place the bowl in your rice cooker. Cover the steam holes of your rice cooker so that the smoke do not escape. Leave for ten minutes and then remove. The rice will taste sensational. This only works for any Arabic or Indian type of rice; I strongly do not recommend Chinese rice like chicken rice for this 🙂
The Occasional Cook 