Rice From Afghanistan

Total Time: 33 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup long grain basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons oil (i used olive oil)
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick (1 cm)
• 1 bay leaf, rubbed (i use fresh bay leaves that i keep on hand in the freezer)
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 pinch mace (small pinch)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Recipe

• 1 soak the rice for 15 minutes. wash well and drain. (i try to remember to soak and drain the rice first thing in the morning.).
• 2 heat the oil in a skillet or pot on medium and fry the onions until brown; about 5 minutes.
• 3 add the cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves and mace, and sauté a few minutes or until the spices start to smell fragrant. lower the heat to medium-low and add the sugar; let the sugar caramelize about few minutes.
• 4 add the rice and sautè for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping up any rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan. add salt to taste.
• 5 stir in 2 cups boiling water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 18 minutes or until the rice is perfectly cooked and the water has completely absorbed.
• 6 transfer rice to a serving platter.
• 7 remove the whole cloves before serving or at least warn the diners.