Simple Yellow Rice (or white)

This is a tasty rice dish.  

To make it into a Simple White Rice, OMIT the turmeric, fresh herbs, and adjwain, and ADD a few green cardamom pods.

basmati rice, 2 cups

ghee, 1 tablespoon (or veg oil to make it vegan)

cinnamon, 1 stick

cloves, 5-10

cumin seed, 1-2 teaspoon

adjwain seed, 1-2 teaspoon

freshly chopped coriander, 1-2 table spoon

freshly chopped mint, 1-2 table spoon

turmeric, 2 teaspoon

water, around 2.5 to 3 cups

Start by rinsing the rice.  Rinse it in cold water a bunch of times until the water is just about clear.

I like to cook this dish in our cast iron pan.  Once it gets up to temp you can back off the heat a lot and it stays the right temperature.

Melt the ghee, add the cumin seed, adjwain seed, cinnamon stick, and cloves (for white rice some cardamoms also).  Fry the mix until the cumin seeds darken a couple shades.

Add the rinsed rice, stir fry it for about 2 to 3 minutes.  This is my favorite part, the aroma of the frying basmati is fabulous, I love it.

After frying the rice add the rest of the ingredients; herbs, turmeric, and water.  Stir it all up, bring to a boil, then back off the heat.  It should be more than a simmer, but not a complete boil.  Cover it, but allow the steam to vent.

Resist the urge to stir it while cooking. Basmati is best left alone.

When it looks like the water is gone, or just to check the status, I like to stick the spoon in the middle and push the rice aside just enough to see the bottom.  If there is still water it will be apparent.  In the cast iron it will take about 25 minutes, more or less.  In the picture below you can see the spoon mark.

All done, serve it up with whatever!!