坊太与你: Herbed Butter Rice

This is a very appropriate dish for potluck, as it goes well with almost anything. I made this as a carbohydrate dish in a BBQ party last Friday and received several favourable responses. It gives an exotic taste but the ingredients used are rather oriental. I simply used up some pandan leaves and kaffir lime leaves from my garden and voila!

Herbed Butter Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups long grain rice, washed and drained
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp oil
1 big yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups water
1 lemongrass, smashed
2 pandan leaves, shredded and knotted
½ cup raisins
5 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

Seasoning:
1 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
Generous dash of pepper
½ tsp salt to taste

Garnishing:
Chopped spring onion (I used chopped chives to give a more exotic flavour)

Yield: feeds 4 person

Method:
1. Heat up butter and oil in a wok.
2. Toss in garlic and onion and fry till they are soft.
3. Add in lemongrass and pandan leaves. Cook for about 1 min with constant stir.
4. Stir in rice and seasoning. Mix well to combine (ensure that the rice is cover with a layer of oil).
5. Dish the rice mixture into the electric rice cooker and add in water. Cook the rice as usual.
6. When rice is almost cooked and dry, add in the raisins and kaffir lime leaves. Stir well to mix.
7. Continue to cook the rice till it's fully cooked.
8. Sprinkle some chopped chives on top of rice before serving.

Elmo didn't get to taste this heavenly dish as it contains onion (due to the toxic ingredient thiosulphate) which can be harmful to dogs. But he didn't seem to mind as I compensated him with a hard-boiled egg. *wink*