Nawabi Pilau

In my opinion Cumin is a King of Spices. Nawabi Pilau means Pilau fit for a king, cumin being a king of spices, should surely play the leading role in this kingly dish.

This is my entry for Sunita of Sunita's World's Think Spice series

This is also my entry for JFI Rice, hosted by the lovely Sharmi of Neivedyam

Ingredients

1 cup rice (basmati); washed thoroughly and soaked for at least 30 minutes
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspn cumin
3 cloves
1 2 inch stick cinnamon
3 cardamom pods
6 whole peppercorns
1 large onion, minced
2 large tomatoes; blanched, peeled and chopped fine
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 inch piece of ginger; grated
2-3 green chilies; minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoons coriander powder
1 tablespoon of oil for the nuts
1 cup chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds and melon seeds), roughly
1 tablespoon raisins
salt to taste

Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns, let them pop.
2. Add the onions, fry until they are a rich brown, add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and chillies. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and the water, bring to boil, lower the heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile heat the oil and fry the nuts, and soak the saffron in a little warm milk or water

5. Add the nuts and saffron to the rice, and mix gently with a fork
Serve goes very well is roast lamb, although on this occasion I served it at a vegan meal.