Recipe - Basmati Rice With Raisins Nuts And Peas

2 cup Basmati rice
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
2 small Onions; thinly cut or sliced up
2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
12 Whole black peppercorns
8 Whole cloves
6 Whole cardamom pods
3 Bay leaves
1 Cinnamon stick
4 cup Water
One fourth cup Whipping cream
1 teaspoon Salt
One fourth teaspoon Saffron threads
1 One half cup Frozen peas
One fourth cup Chopped almonds
One fourth cup Chopped cashews
One fourth cup Raisins

Rinse rice under cold running water. Place rice in large bowl. Add enough
water to cover by 3 inches. Let stand 20 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Add onions; sauté
until golden, about 8 minutes. Add cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom,
bay leaves and cinnamon; sauté until onions are brown, about 4 minutes.

Add rice to spices and stir 2 minutes. Add 4 cups water, cream, salt and
saffron. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover saucepan almost
completely and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Add peas to rice. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with nuts and raisins.

From India's restaurant in Denver, this side dish has whole peppercorns,
cardamom and cloves. They are not meant to be eaten, so discard them when
serving the rice.

Recipe by: Bon Appétit September 1995

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by "gswindell@widomaker.com"
gswindell@widomaker.com on Apr 16, 1998