Basmati Rice

The University of Minnesota studied 30,000 women over nine years and found that those who ate at least three daily servings of whole grains, such as wheat berries, were 30 percent less likely to die of heart disease. (Note that the wheat berries in this recipe need to soak in cold water overnight, so start preparing the dish one day before you plan to serve it.)

A colorful, aromatic rice that is good with the Spicy Lamb Stew with Apricots and Cardamom, or with broiled chicken, fish or vegetables.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

We decided to use sweetened flaked coconut rather than fresh coconut for this recipe because it not only saves time but enhances the overall flavor of the dish, adding a touch of subtle sweetness. Soaking the basmati rice strengthens the grains to prevent the rice from breaking down during cooking.

This traditional Indian dish is usually served with basmati rice or Indian bread.

"I'm from India," writes Hema Kundargi of Cupertino, California, "and I enjoy the foods of my homeland. My children are the opposite — they like 'American' food. But I haven't given up trying to make Indian meals that the whole family will like. This recipe pleases everyone."

Tah-dig—the crunchy crust of rice on the bottom of the pot—is considered by many to be the prize of Persian rice. Here it is rivaled by the surprise of pistachios, whose natural sweetness is brought out by the dill.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 9‚ hr

Marge Dawson of Ivoryton, Connecticut, writes: "My daughter and I went to Thali, an Indian restaurant in New Canaan, Connecticut, and had a superb meal. I have never been a fan of rice pudding, but their version was out of this world. Is there any chance you could get the recipe?"

Offer some crusty bread with this lovely main-course salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Sharpen your cutting and chopping skills and see how to prepare salmon like a pro with our technique videos.

A Dijon mustard vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. If you can't find basmati rice, white long-grain rice is fine.

Cooking rhubarb to the right consistency is trickier than you might think — it changes from barely tender to falling apart in a matter of seconds. Watch it carefully while it's poaching. In this recipe you’ll need to boil the rhubarb syrup to the "soft-ball stage." To determine this, just drop a small amount of syrup into a cup of cold water. If you can form it into a sticky lump that flattens when pressed, it has reached the right consistency. This technique is especially useful with small amounts of syrup, from which it can be difficult to obtain an accurate temperature reading with a thermometer.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 50 min