Maharajah’s Rice
Make the rice accompanying your Indian feast infinitely more exciting with this recipe jewelled with fruit, nuts and saffron. This recipe from Meera Sodha's hit book, Fresh India, makes for the perfect side to any curry.
From the book
Fresh India: 130 Quick, Easy and Delicious Recipes for Every Day
The go-to guide for vegetarian Indian cooking
130 stunning recipes with a fresh and light feel
Beautiful puddings with Indian-inspired flavours
Introduction
Using only the most expensive ingredients one can get one’s royal hands on, this is good with other feasting dishes.
Ingredients
| 300g | basmati rice |
| 100g | dried soft fruit (e.g. apricots and dates) |
| 20 strands | of saffron |
| 50g | chopped nuts (e.g. pistachios and almonds) |
| 25g | unsalted butter |
| 4 | whole cloves |
| 10 | black peppercorns |
| 4cm | cinnamon stick |
| ½ tsp | salt |
Method
Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water. When the water runs clear, leave to soak in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.
Next, boil the kettle, put the dried soft fruit into a bowl and cover with hot water. In a separate bowl, soak the saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of water.
When the rice has finished soaking, place a lidded saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, put the chopped nuts into the pan and toast them for a minute or two until they turn a shade darker, then remove to a plate. Melt the butter in the same pan, then add the cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon. When the cloves and black peppercorns swell and smell lovely, drain the rice and add to the pan along with the salt.
Stir to coat the grains in butter, then pour in 400ml of tap water. Bring to the boil, cook for 2 minutes, then cover with the lid, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. In the meantime, drain the fruit and chop it into small pieces.
When the rice is cooked, leave to rest for 5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork. Fold in the dried fruit and nuts, and drizzle over the saffron in its soaking liquid.
