Spiced Basmathi Rice

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

500g Basmathi rice

175g broccoli

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions chopped

225g mushrooms

150g carrots diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 cardamom pods, split

6 whole cloves

1.2 litres stock using 2 Knorr Vegetable cubes

8 black peppercorns

1 cinammon stick

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Salt and pepper

55g raisins

55g unsalted cashew nuts, chopped

Method

Place the rice in a sieve and wash well under cold running water. Drain. Trim off most of the broccoli stalks and cut into small florets, cut stalks into small pieces. 

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, diced carrots and broccoli stalks and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Add the rice, mushrooms and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring till the rice is coated with oil. 

Add boiling stock and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in broccoli and return mixture to teh boil. Reduce the heat and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes without uncovering the pan.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pillau to stand for 5 minutes without uncovering. Remove the whole spices. Add raisins and cashew nuts and gently fork through to fluff up the grains. 

Serve the pillau hot.