Ingredients:
- 2 cups Basmati Rice
- 1/2 cup clarified butter or vegetable
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 teaspoon thinly sliced ginger root (peel first!)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (fresh)
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup garbanzo beans
- 1/2 cup fresh or defrosted peas
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Required Spices:
- 6 cardamom seed pods, crushed to release the small seeds, pods discarded
- 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preparation:
- Pour the rice in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
- Put the rinsed rice in a bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain rice and set aside liquid.
- Heat the butter on medium heat in a large pot.
- Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add "SPICES" and heat until fragrant (a little less that 1 minute).
- Add rice and brown for 2 minutes.
- Add water that was set aside and the raisins and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
- Cover pot, remove from heat and let stand for 15 mins.
- Combine remaining ingredient, fluff rice with a folk and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Remove cinnamon sticks and bay leaf and serve warm or at room temperature.