Mediterranean Butter Rice

This Mediterranean butter rice has just the right hint of butter and lots of extra flavor from the stock. Though it says Mediterranean, it actually goes well with anything - from pork chops, steaks, fish, kebobs, souvlakis, sausages or anything grilled or fried. Up the ante of any dish by serving it with Meditteranean butter rice on the side!

There’s this restaurant named ‘Cafe Mediterranean’ that we used to eat and our usual order was their Tunisian fish fillet with buttered rice and salad on the side. Though we have to pay extra to get the butter rice, for me it was worth it because it elevates a simple dish and adds another layer of flavor.

Use Basmati Rice

The best kind of rice to use for this recipe is Basmati rice. Cooked Basmati rice is soft and fluffy, with each grain perfectly separate. I tried making this recipe with long grain Jasmine rice. It came out okay taste-wise, but the texture was sticky so it wasn't as fluffy as I wanted it to be.

What to serve with Mediterranean Butter Rice

This butter rice is very versatile. I’ve paired this with a lot of dishes: from Western, Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican!

It is a MUST to serve this with Tunisian fish fillet (recipe coming soon)! These everyday pork chops and other grilled meats like steaks, sausages, chicken, kebobs, souvlakis, fish are great options too.

Tips on Cooking Rice on the Stove

• Always rinse your rice before cooking them. This will wash off the dusty starch along with any stray particles. To wash rice, put the grains in a deep bowl and fill it half-way with water. Gently mix the grains using your hand. You should see the water is turning white from the starch. Take out any stray particles (if there are) then pour off as much of the water as you can or drain it using a strainer. Repeat the process again until the water is almost clear. I usually do the whole process 3 times.
• Measure the rice and water. For most rice the ratio is 1:2. For every 1 cup of uncooked rice, you’ll need 2 cups of water. Some rice varieties need a little less or a little more water as it cooks. For best results, check the package directions of your rice.
• Rice is cooked on low heat. Never rush it by cooking on high heat or you’ll end up with burnt rice.
• Check the rice at 15 minutes to see if it’s done. A cooked rice should be firm but tender.
  Definitely not crunchy. If there is still water in the pan and the rice is already done, tilt the pan to drain the extra water. You don’t want a rice that’s too wet and mushy. If the water is all dried up and the rice is still hard or crunchy, add water in small increments (about ¼ cup) and check again after 10 minutes.
• As a guide for servings: ½ cup of uncooked rice is equal to 1 cup of cooked rice or 1 serving per person.

Mediterranean Butter Rice

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Yield: 2 servings

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Description

This Mediterranean butter rice has just the right hint of butter and lots of extra flavor from the stock. Though it says Mediterranean, it actually goes well with anything – from pork chops, steaks, fish, kebobs, souvlakis, sausages, fried chicken. Up the ante of any dish by serving it with Meditteranean butter rice on the side!

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (190 grams) white basmati rice (uncooked )
• 2 cups no salt vegetable or chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Wash the rice. (Note 1)
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the rice grains and stir them briefly, about 30 seconds, just to separate the grains and remove clumps. Add the vegetable broth and salt (Note 2). Stir then let it boil. Once boiling, turn heat to lowest setting then cover the pot. Cook on lowest heat setting for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed (tilt pot to check). Remove from heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes. This steams the rice a little bit more. Do not uncover the pot. 
3. Before serving, uncover, fluff up rice with a fork. Let it stand for a few minutes to "dry out" and lose that wet, just-steamed texture. Top with additional butter if you wish.

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Notes

(Note 1) To wash rice, put the grains in a deep bowl and fill it half-way with water. Gently mix the grains using your hand. You should see the water is turning white from the starch. Take out any stray particles then pour off as much of this water as you can or drain it using a strainer. Repeat the process again until the water is almost clear. I usually do the whole process 3 times.
(Note 2) For most rice the ratio is 1:2. For every 1 cup of uncooked rice, you’ll need 2 cups of water. Some rice varieties need a little less or a little more water as it cooks. For best results, check the package directions of your rice.