I’ve been inspired by the success of my recent attempt at Georgian pilaf with tart cherries to try some more recipes from Najmieh Batmanglij’s remarkable book, Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey. Most of her rice recipes are unfamiliar to me and use ingredients that I’d not thought of putting in rice before. Last time it was the tart cherries; this time it’s the yogurt. I rarely use yogurt in anything and have generally considered it something to have with fruit as a dessert or as a “healthy” snack. Hegui is a bit skeptical about this key ingredient, too. But you cannot learn without trying new things, so there we are.

Madras mustard seed and yogurt pullao

This dish was very easy to make. Really it’s just cooking rice the “conventional” Brazilian way then putting the spices, yogurt and fresh cilantro on top for a bit. Then toss and serve. I loved the final product. The yogurt gives the rice a rich creamy white color, which looked great with the almost pearlescent whiteness of the rice. And the mustard seed and cilantro offered the dish some interesting splashes of color. I thought it tasted wonderfully, too. It’s creamy and a bit sour, which seemed exciting in a rice dish. Hegui grudgingly admitted that it was “good” but wouldn’t add more.

I didn’t really measure the rice but put it in a 2 to 3 ratio with water as the original directions recommend. Also, I used less oil than Najmieh says. Next time, I think that I’ll add more mustard seed and not remove all of the ribs and seeds from the Serrano chiles. That will heat it up a bit.

some key ingredients for Madras mustard seed and yogurt pullao

Madras Mustard Seed and Yogurt Pullao

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and picked over
3 cups water
2 cups plain yogurt, beaten
4 to 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Serrano chiles; stems, seeds and ribs removed, minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 inch piece ginger, crushed
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (reserve a few leaves as garnish)
2 tsp salt

Add two or three tablespoons oil to medium pot. Once hot, add mustard seeds and fry about 10 seconds. Add garlic, ginger and Serrano chile. Sauté about one minute. Pour spices and oil in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour remaining oil in the same pan. Add rice and salt. Sauté for a minute or two. Add water. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer, covered, until water absorbed (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat.

Pour spices with oil over top of rice in pan. Pour yogurt evenly over rice. Cover with fresh cilantro. Cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes so that the rice can absorb the flavors and some of the liquid from the yogurt. Toss, garnish and serve.