• Clean and rinse the rice nicely. See instructions above on how to rinse the rice.
  1 Cup Basmati Rice
• Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes in normal room temperature water.
• Once soaked, drain and give a quick rinse. This step is to just remove any dirt. Here we are not rinsing with hands or anything. Just removing and replacing the water.

Open pan method

• In a wide open pan add 4 cups of water.
  Water
• Cover and let it come to a boil.
• One can add a few drops of lemon juice. This helps to get perfect white rice.
  Lemon juice
• Once the water has come to a boil add the rinsed and drained rice.
• Let this cook for 5-7 minutes. The rice will cook faster. Keep an eye on it.
• You will understand when the rice starts floating on the top.
• If you remove one grain and lightly press it against the spoon or your worktop, it will break.
• This is a sign when the rice is done.
  
• Cook it only 95 percent. That is grain should be a bit firm and not mushy.
• Drain the rice in a colander.
  
• Let it rest for 5 minutes so that the excess water is removed and the rice cooled a bit.
  
• Now in a heavy bottom wok or a kadai add the Clarified Butter ( ghee).
  1 tablespoon Clarified Butter
• Once hot add the cumin seeds.
  1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• Let cumin seeds crackle.
  1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• Add rice, salt to taste and gently toss the rice.
  Salt, 1 Cup Basmati Rice
• Be gentle and slow. The rice will mix and coat the tadka all over.
• Serve it hot with curry or dal of your choice.

Pressure cooker or Pulao method

• In the pressure cooker wok add the Clarified Butter (ghee).
  1 tablespoon Clarified Butter
• Once hot add the cumin seeds.
  1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• Let cumin seeds crackle.
• Add rice, salt to taste.
  1 Cup Basmati Rice, Salt
• Add 2 cups of water if the rice is not soaked. If soaked add 1.5 cups of water. If not soaked add 2 cups of water.
  Water
• Cover the lid and let this cook for 1-2 whistle max.
• Switch off and let the pressure settle.
• After 10 minutes, once the pressure has settled, open the lid and serve.
• Do not cover the pressure cooker tightly or else the rice might turn mushy later.

Rice cooker method

• In the rice cooker add rice, 2 cups of water and salt to taste.
  Water
• In a small skillet (I use this cast iron skillet) or a tadka pan add the Clarified Butter (ghee).
  1 tablespoon Clarified Butter
• Once hot add the cumin seeds.
  1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• Let cumin seeds crackle.
• Add this to the rice and water mixture in the rice cooker.
• Switch the mode to cooking and let the rice cook until done or it goes to the warm mode.
• I prefer to remove the top container of the rice and keep it on a cooling rack.
• As the heat from the bottom of the rice cooker at times, cooks the bottom layer and sometimes it gets over done.