Par-boiled rice (Puzhungal arisi satham/ புழுங்கல் அரிசி சாதம்)

Rice (அரிசி) is the staple food in South India. Depending on their personal preferences, people may consume raw rice (பச்சரிசி) or par-boiled rice (புழுங்கல் அரிசி). Par-boiled rice is prepared by partially boiling rice in its husk and this proocess moves the nutrients from the bran to endosperm. Hence, par-boiled rice is nutritionally closer to brown rice, making it a healthier option.

Traditionally, rice is cooked in a narrow mouthed metal pot (வெண்கல பானை) with lot of water. Once the rice is cooked well excess water is drained through a plate with holes (சிப்பல்). With the advent of pressure cooking, it is very easy to cook rice in 5-10 minutes. Learning to cook rice is the first lesson in South Indian cookery. Let us see how to cook par-boiled rice. 

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 measure

Water – 3 measures

Method: Wash the rice well in a suitable vessel. Add the required quantity of water and cover it with a lid. Place the vessel in the pressure cooker, close the cooker lid and place the cooker weight, making sure that the steam escapes freely through the nozzle. After the pressure builds up and the cooker starts to whistle, keep the fire on for 5 minutes if your cooker whistles continuously or for 5 whistles if your cooker whistles intermittently.

How to cook rice in an electric rice cooker: Wash the rice well in running water. Transfer the rice to the rice cooker vessel and add 3 parts of water. Cover with the lid provided. Switch on the rice cooker and press the button to "cook mode". Once the rice is cooked, the switch automatically changes to warm mode. Before serving the rice, allow it stay in warm mode for at least 15 minutes.  

Note: For best results, soak the rice for 30 minutes in water before transferring it to rice cooker or pressure cooker.

Note: Always wash the rice well three or four times in running water before cooking.

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