Bhopali Pilaf
Recipe by: Oaktown Spice Shop
A colorful rice dish that will play beautifully with your favorite entree.
Bhopali Pilaf
Ingredients
2 cups Basmati rice
1 1/2" piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 whole Pemba Cloves
1 large pod black cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp Ground Laurel Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp Wild Mountain Cumin
1/8 tsp whole mace
1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into thin half rings
2 small carrots, diced small
1 cup peas (if frozen, defrosted)
1 tsp salt
Directions
Wash rice well. Cover with 5 cups water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Blend together the ginger and garlic with 1 tablespoon of water until you have a paste. (I used an immersion blender but you could also use a shallow blender.)
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, black cumin seeds and mace. Stir once and add onion. Stir and fry until the onion turns reddish-brown.
Add the garlic-ginger paste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and peas. Stir and fry for 1 more minute. Add drained rice and salt. Lower heat a little and stir and fry rice for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 25 minutes.