Serves 6 to 8
This is a fragrant, delicate, slightly sweet rice dish: perfect with a searingly hot curry. It is called plain because some others are very much more complicated, but it is actually not plain at all; rather, quite wonderful.
• 4 Tbs. butter
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• crushed seeds from 8 cardamom pods
• ¾ cup blanched, slivered almonds*
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 cup shelled fresh peas
• 4 cups hot water
• 1½ tsp. salt
1. Melt the butter in a large, fireproof casserole and fry the rice in it over low heat until it just starts to color. Add the cinnamon and the crushed cardamom seeds. Stir, and continue frying for 1 or 2 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir briefly. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the casserole, tightly, and let the rice steam for about 20 minutes. All the water should be absorbed and the rice just tender but not mushy.
3. To blanch almonds, drop them for a minute in boiling water, then slip off the brown skins as soon as they are loose enough.
