Cashew Rice

Here’s a simple yet delicious rice dish you can enjoy during special meals. Serve it with chicken curry, poppadum and chutney and you have a winner.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup uncooked basmati rice
• 1 cup water (for soaking the rice)
• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp. oil (for frying the onion and cashews)
• ½ cup cashews
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 tbsp. oil (for cooking the rice)
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 5 curry leaves
• ¼ tsp. cumin powder
• 1 ½ cups water (for cooking the rice)
• ¼ tsp. salt (or to taste)

Instructions:

1. Wash the rice thoroughly. Then place it in a bowl along with the water for soaking, and let the rice soak for half an hour.
2. Slice the onion thinly. Try to get even slices so that they can cook evenly.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion slices. Fry until they turn red and crispy and remove them to a plate lined with tissue papers.
4. Add the cashews to the same pan and fry until they turn golden and then remove them to a plate lined with tissue papers. Cashews cook quickly, so stir often and keep a close eye on it. (After they cool down a bit, slice the cashews down vertically from the middle if you want more pieces. We did do that.)
5. Mince the garlic clove.
6. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large pot and add the garlic, slightly opened cardamom pods, cinnamon and curry leaves. Cook until the garlic takes on a golden tint.
7. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot along with the cumin. Stir fry for around a minute on medium heat.
8. Add the water and the salt and put the lid on. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook until all the water evaporates.
9. Switch off the stove and leave it be for around 5 minutes. Then fluff up the rice using a fork and then add the fried onions and cashews and gently mix to spread them evenly through the rice.