Recipes Ingredients Pasta and Grains Rice Recipes Plain Basmati Rice 5.0 (1) Close Credit: Martyna Szczesna Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Madhur Jaffrey shares the easiest way to cook basmati rice, also known as saaday basmati chawal. Salt is generally not added, as it is meant to be eaten with well-seasoned food, such as Jaffrey's Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce. Directions Wash rice in several changes of water; drain and put in a bowl. Cover generously with water and let soak 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil in a heavy ovenproof pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add rice, stir, and bring back to a boil. Cover tightly (use a layer of foil between lid and pan, crinkling edges, if needed, to get a tight seal) and place in oven; bake 30 minutes. Remove and let rice stand, undisturbed, 10 minutes. Fluff up grains with a fork; serve. Rice can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.