Skip to main content

Basmati Rice with Shiso

A simple rice preparation that can serve as a great side dish for a variety of Japanese (and other) dishes. If you don’t have shiso, use fresh mint, basil, cilantro, or a combination.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
5 fresh shiso leaves
1 cup basmati rice
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter over medium heat in an ovenproof saucepan with a lid. Chop two of the shiso leaves and cook them in the butter for 30 seconds.

    Step 2

    Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice becomes transparent, just a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, place in the oven, and set a timer for 10 minutes.

    Step 3

    While the rice is cooking, mince the remaining shiso. When the 10 minutes are up, remove the rice but do not uncover; let it rest in a warm place for another 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining shiso, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
Read More
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
This chicken salad nails it—creamy, herby, and endlessly riffable.
Like cottage cheese caramelize onion dip and a lentil barley salad.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like fattoush salad and strawberry shortcake roll.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Using two entire lemons—pith, skin, and all—cranks up the citrus flavor in this classic dessert.