Anything but samey rice! 340g long grained rice
2 onions finely sliced
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
1 star anise
Large handful sultanas
Large handful cashew nuts
Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Into the water put the turmeric, star anise and cinnamon. Pour the rice in on top and cook as per instructions (usually 10-15 minutes).
In a dry pan over a high heat, toss the cashew nuts until toasted and golden brown all over. Place to one side.
While the rice is cooking fry the onion in the oil over quite a high heat until they begin to brown quite nicely on the edges. Stir in the crushed cardamom pods and cumin seeds and fry briefly. Take care not to burn the spices – you will know when they are ready to take off the heat once they begin to pop and smell nutty.
Once the rice is cooked drain and rinse with a kettle of boiling water, this will prevent the rice from being too sticky. Toss into the pan with the onions and add the toasted nuts and the sultanas.
There is no need to remove the cinnamon, star anise etc. as it really adds to the appearance of the dish and is large enough not to pose any real choking hazards!
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