Shortly after I purchased my first microwave oven back in the 1980’s, my mom and dad gave me a copy of Barbara Kafka’s Microwave Gourmet cookbook for my birthday. This is one of the first recipes I tried, and it remains one of my favorites.

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice, rinsed well and drained
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. In a 2 quart soufflé dish, microwave the butter uncovered at 50% for 2 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes more at 50%.

2. Stir in the rice and cook, uncovered, at 50% for 4 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir well.

3. Add the chicken broth, cover with microwave plastic wrap and cook at 100% for 13 minutes. One minute before the end of cooking time, remove plastic wrap and stir in the cilantro and chopped cucumber. Recover and cook for 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve this topped with Cucumber-Mint Raita.