Description
A flavorful and aromatic Spicy Indian Rice recipe that combines fragrant spices, caramelized onions, and a mix of sultanas and roasted cashew nuts. This dish offers a delightful balance of savory and sweet flavors, perfect as a side to curries or grilled meats and fish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 mugful American long grain rice
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Large handful of sultanas
- Large handful of roasted cashew nuts
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Fry Onions: Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fry them for 10-12 minutes until they become golden and caramelized, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Boil Rice: Fill a roomy saucepan with water, bring it to a vigorous boil, and add a heaped teaspoon of salt. Add the turmeric and cinnamon stick to the boiling water. Pour in the rice and stir once. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady bubble but not vigorous boiling. Cook uncovered without stirring for 10 minutes. Check the rice by tasting a grain; if too crunchy, cook for an additional minute until tender but still with a slight bite.
- Drain and Rinse Rice: Drain the cooked rice using a large sieve. Rinse the rice by pouring a kettle of very hot water over it to remove excess starch and cool it slightly.
- Prepare Spice Mixture: Crush the seeds from the cardamom pods. Stir the crushed cardamom seeds and cumin seeds into the browned onions in the frying pan and fry briefly to release their aroma.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the sultanas and roasted cashew nuts to the onion and spice mixture, then gently fold in the hot, drained rice. Mix carefully to combine all ingredients without breaking the rice grains.
- Serve: Serve the spicy Indian rice as a vibrant side dish complementing curry or grilled meat and fish.
Notes
- For a nuttier flavor, lightly toast the cashew nuts before adding.
- Adjust the amount of turmeric for desired color and flavor intensity.
- Do not stir the rice while boiling to encourage slightly sticky grains.
- Sultanas add a subtle sweetness balancing the spices, but can be omitted if preferred.
- This rice pairs excellently with Indian curries and grilled dishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Spicy Indian rice, Indian side dish, aromatic rice, curry side dish, spiced rice with nuts and sultanas
