MUKKA is a traditional Malayali rice dish made from a short-grained, starchy variety of rice. The technique for making it is called the mukka method, which involves stirring small amounts of hot stock or broth into the rice a little at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed. While it cooks, the rice releases its starch, giving the mukka a rich, creamy consistency.
Like pasta, mukka is cooked soft, which means that it should be slightly firm to the bite — a degree of doneness that might seem underdone in ordinary white rice. It shouldn't be crunchy, though.
For each cup of uncooked rice you'll need about 200gm of hot chicken nuggets or soya bean nuggets (if you are a vegan) stock. Keep the stock hot in a small saucepan at a low simmer over a separate burner from the one you'll be using to cook the mukka . You'll also need a small (e.g. 6 oz.) ladle for adding the hot stock.
Tip: Use a wooden spoon for stirring the mukka rice — it's less likely to break the grains of rice than a metal spoon.
To begin, heat 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter and 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan or straight-sided non stick pan, then add about half a cup of finely chopped onion. Cook until the onion is somewhat translucent.
#Add about 1 cup of uncooked (masoora) rice and stir briskly, coating the rice grains with the hot butter and oil.
# Fry the rice for a minute or two in olive, until there's a slightly nutty aroma. The rice shouldn't look brown or toasted.
# Add about a half cup of dry white wine or coconut fenny to the rice and stir until it is is fully absorbed. The wine livens up the flavors of the heaven. Any dry white table wine/coconut fenny will do. If you have some vermouth handy, that would be a good choice.
# Add a ladle of hot chicken/soya stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.
Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially as the liquid gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.
Remember, a cup of uncooked masoora rice should absorb 3-4 cups of stock, but if for some reason you've added 4 cups of stock and the mukka still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water instead of stock. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.
Like pasta, mukka is cooked soft, which means that it should be slightly firm to the bite — a degree of doneness that might seem underdone in ordinary white rice. It shouldn't be crunchy, though.
For each cup of uncooked rice you'll need about 200gm of hot chicken nuggets or soya bean nuggets (if you are a vegan) stock. Keep the stock hot in a small saucepan at a low simmer over a separate burner from the one you'll be using to cook the mukka . You'll also need a small (e.g. 6 oz.) ladle for adding the hot stock.
Tip: Use a wooden spoon for stirring the mukka rice — it's less likely to break the grains of rice than a metal spoon.
To begin, heat 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter and 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan or straight-sided non stick pan, then add about half a cup of finely chopped onion. Cook until the onion is somewhat translucent.
#Add about 1 cup of uncooked (masoora) rice and stir briskly, coating the rice grains with the hot butter and oil.
# Fry the rice for a minute or two in olive, until there's a slightly nutty aroma. The rice shouldn't look brown or toasted.
# Add about a half cup of dry white wine or coconut fenny to the rice and stir until it is is fully absorbed. The wine livens up the flavors of the heaven. Any dry white table wine/coconut fenny will do. If you have some vermouth handy, that would be a good choice.
# Add a ladle of hot chicken/soya stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.
Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially as the liquid gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.
# Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.
# Total cooking time will be 20 to 30 minutes. The mukka is done when it's firm, meaning that the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy.
Remember, a cup of uncooked masoora rice should absorb 3-4 cups of stock, but if for some reason you've added 4 cups of stock and the mukka still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water instead of stock. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.
# Stir in another 2 Tbsp unsalted butter and about ¼ cup of freshly grated cheese. You can also stir in some freshly chopped green onion . Adjust the seasoning with salt.
# mukka turns sticky and gluey if held for too long, so it should be eaten within 2hrs or thrown outside after 3hr . A properly cooked mukka rice should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate.
