Middle Eastern Rice
Middle Eastern rice with fluffy basmati and golden toasted vermicelli. Easy, flavorful, and perfect with chicken or stews.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- ½ cup vermicelli noodles (very thin)
- 1½-2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil
- ½-1 tsp salt, to taste
- 1½+⅓ cups boiling water (1 ⅚)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the vermicelli noodles and stir constantly until deep golden brown. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn.
- Stir in the basmati rice (if you wash your rice, do this beforehand and drain it well). Fry for about 3 minutes to coat the grains.
- Add salt and the boiling water. Stir once, then taste the water — it should be pleasantly salty, like soup. Adjust if needed, then cover and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once it boils, immediately lower the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook covered for 20 minutes — do not open the lid.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff gently with a fork and serve.
