Kashmiri Spiced Rice

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 500g basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) [ensure the butter comes from cows fed non-GE feed]
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 5 cardamom pods, bruised
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 small quill cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron (optional)
• 1 litre very hot water
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 3 tablespoons sultanas

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 3 hard boiled eggs [ensure the eggs come from chickens fed non-GE feed]

Method

1. Wash the rice in two or three changes of water, then drain for at least 30 minutes in a colander. In a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid, heat the ghee and olive oil. Fry onion, garlic and spices, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes or until onions and garlic start to brown. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes longer, stirring until each grain is coated with ghee. Add hot water, salt, sultanas and saffron. Bring to the boil, then turn heat as low as possible, cover tightly and allow to cook for 15 minutes.
2. While rice is steaming, boil the eggs, stirring gently for the first 5 minutes to centre the yolks. Heat a little oil in a wok and fry the cashew nuts until golden, then drain them on kitchen paper. Cook the frozen peas in lightly salted boiling water.
3. Uncover rice and allow steam to escape for a few minutes, then fork lightly to separate grains. Serve rice with a metal spoon to avoid crushing the grains. Scatter with cooked peas, fried cashews and slices of hard boiled egg. A complete meal when served with thick natural yoghurt and fruit chutney.

Note: A quick and easy way to create the same dish without the need to fry onions, garlic and spices is to dissolve 2 tablespoons of Charmaine Solomon's Kashmiri Marinade or Korma Curry Paste in the measured water with the salt. Either of these spice blends takes the place of all the above ingredients, and the Korma Paste also contains pure saffron. All the Solomon products are cooked in non-GE canola oil, and contain no artificial flavours or colours and no added MSG.