“A good broth should be able to stand on its own—not just in the background of a stew,” says Andy Baraghani. “This version is inspired by rasam, a South Indian soup that typically gets its tangy flavor from tomatoes and tamarind juice, and it’s the one I’ve been making on repeat. It’s pungent, spicy, and garlicky. It comes together quickly and is tasty on its own, added to a braise, or ladled over crispy rice with a handful of herbs.” In lieu of tamarind, this recipe leans on tomato paste and lime juice for that fruity acidity. Parboiling gives the rice a head start before getting steamed in a nonstick skillet where the bottom layer gets crisp.
RICE
Step 1
Rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cool running water until water runs clear. Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add rice and give it a few stirs to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. (The water will stop boiling once the rice is added.) Cook until water returns to a boil and rice is nearly doubled in size, 2–6 minutes, depending on the quality of your rice. Rice should still be on the slightly al dente side and not fully cooked. Drain rice and rinse under cold running water to stop it from cooking further. Reserve pot.
Step 2
Mix yogurt and 1 cup (about two thirds) par cooked rice in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet with a lid over medium. Scrape in yogurt mixture and spread out into an even layer. Scatter remaining rice over and cover. Let cook, turning pan 180° halfway through to ensure even cooking, until rice along edges is starting to look crisp (it’s okay to peek), 8–10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking (still covered) until rice around edges of pan is golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (still covered) 5 minutes.
BROTH AND ASSEMBLY
Step 3
While rice is cooking in skillet, combine ghee, garlic, and chile in a reserved pot and place over medium heat. As soon as oil around garlic starts to sizzle, start stirring occasionally and cook until garlic is barely golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in coriander, cumin seeds, and turmeric and mix until turmeric has stained garlic and ghee, about 20 seconds. Scrape in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened in color and beginning to stick to bottom of pot, about 3 minutes. Pour in 5 cups cold water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; add sugar and lime juice and season with salt. The broth will be thin but should have lots of flavor. Taste and add more lime juice and/or salt if needed.
Step 4
To unmold crispy rice, remove lid from pan, invert a large plate on top and invert rice onto plate like a cake. Divide rice among bowls and ladle broth over. Top with herbs.
