T20's in Abu Dhabi, Gul's Grace, and Gorgeous Basmati Rice

We're just a few hours away from the first of the Pakistan/South Africa T20 matches.  Proceeds from this match will go to the flood victims.  Don't forget to make a donation! every little bit helps and there is still so much need.  Pakistanis would do the same for you if the situation were reversed!  Great people!

This is going to be an interesting series; as Cricinfo reports, the Pakistan team is still struggling with chaos while the South Africa team is totally focussed and drama-free.  However, the South Africans are not treating this series like a cake-walk.   Remember, they have to deal with Umar Gul, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Huq, and Saeed Ajmal!  Yes, the team doesn't have Mohammed Amir or Mohammed Asif, but there is so much talent on the Pakistan side that this will be a great competition to watch.  I want to see the South Africans get gulled!

Boo ya!

Speaking of Umar Gul, doesn't he have the most beautiful bowling style?  He's a work of art, like Fred Astaire or Baryshnikov.  So graceful, yet so masculine! Let's see him take wickets in style!



Baryshnikov, doing his interpretation of
 Umar Gul's bowling.



Gul, bowling his interpretation
of Baryshnikov's dancing

Just gorgeous.  Now, if you want to make rice that is as gorgeous as Gul's bowling,
read on.

Basmati Rice

Basmati rice originally comes from Pakistan, specifically Sialkot.  It's a very flavourful rice which should never be clumpy, sticky, or mushy.  There are two kinds; regular and aged.  The aged has a stronger flavour and is considered to be better, but the regular kind will also work.  Try to make sure you buy pakistani basmati.  Indian basmati is also nice, but don't try the California basmati.  That stuff is plain awful.  Basmati from Iran requires a special cooking method which I never get right, so I won't even bother trying to describe that to you!

Here we go.  The cooking method is the same for the aged and regular varieties.  Basmati rice uses less water; proportion of rice to water is 1:1.5.
Pakistani method
2 cups rice
3 cups water
Put the rice in the 3 cups of water.  Let it soak for about 30 minutes, then put on high heat until most of the liquid is gone, then reduce heat to very low and cover for another 20 minutes.  Rice should turn out light and fluffy; if not, add a little more water until rice cooks through.

Mexican method
3 tablespoons oil
2 cups rice
3 cups water

Heat oil in a pan, add rice and fry for a few minutes until the rice slightly changes colour.  Add water.  When 50% of liquid has been absorbed, turn heat down to very low and cover, let cook for about 20 minutes.  If the rice is still a bit hard, add a little more water and continue cooking.

Happy cooking, and happy cricket!