Fragrant yellow rice

1 cup Basmati or any long grain rice
3 tablespoons ghee (or clarified butter)
1/2 onion (finely chopped)
6 cardamom pods (bruised)
6 peppercorns
3 cloves
2 cm piece cinnamon stick (broken in 2)
1 sprig curry leaves
2 cups liquid (1/2 cup coconut milk and 1 ½ cup water
1/2 teaspoon Spanish saffron (soaked in two tablespoons milk)
1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Garnishing
2 tablespoons ghee
10 grams sultanas
Sprig of parsley
10 grams cashew nuts
2 boiled eggs

Method

1. Wash and drain rice.

2. Heat ghee in a large saucepan. On a medium heat add onions and fry until they turn golden in colour. Add cardamoms, pepper corns, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds

3. Add rice and fry a little longer, stirring constantly so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

4. Mix in the liquid, saffron and salt, stir. Turn heat on to high and cook until the rice begins to boil. Turn heat down to very low and cover with lid and let it cook in its steam.

5. When all the moisture has evaporated, the spices will rise to the top. Remove spices and stir slightly with a fork and turn the heat off.

6. Fry the Cashew nuts and sultanas in the ghee and mix with the rice or can be sprinkled on top. Quarter the eggs and arrange then on the rice together with the parsley.