Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
1 ½ inch piece of ginger
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
A few cardamom pods, gently crushed
3 bay leaves
¼ to ½ cup olive oil or ghee (clarified butter)
6-7 whole cloves
1 medium onion
Pick one or multiple vegetables:
2 cups green peas
2 large potatoes, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 head cabbage, chopped
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Measure rice and wash it. Drain out the water and set aside.
Cut onion lengthwise into skinny slices. Peel ginger and cut lengthwise into skinny pieces.
Put all dry spices together in a bowl: cumin, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves. Save the cloves (since they splatter when they hit the oil) for later on to add with the onions.
Heat the oil in a large pot. When hot, pour the spices into the pot. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute.
Add cloves and onions and cook, stirring occasionally. After 2-3 minutes add ginger.
When onions turn light brown, stir in the
rice and vegetables.
When the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pan add 2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a tight fitting lid.
Cook until the rice soaks up all the liquid–check after 20 minutes, continuing to cook if there is still liquid. Check by fluffing gently with a fork and tasting rice to see if it is tender.