Indian and Pakistani food have several similarities and here is a dish that my grandmother made a lot. She was born in Peshawar which is now in Pakistan and moved to the Indian part of India during the partition. This one doesn't get too sweet if you use brown sugar or molasses .
SWEET BASMATI RICE
2 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons raisins
10 cashews
3 cardamom pods
125 g brown sugar
3 dl water
125 g Basmati rice
2-3 tablespoons coconut pulp
(Optionally a pinch of saffron)
If you use regular brown sugar, 100 gr. can be used. Remember to open the cardamom pods before adding them to the pot, as this will allow the seeds to be added to the entire dish. Some seeds can be ground into a powder and saved for garnish along with a little coconut pulp.
Procedure:
- Start by rinsing the rice a couple of times and soaking in double the amount of water.
- Heat ghee , add raisins and cashew nuts. Add sugar, cardamom pods (or saffron) and the water in which the rice was soaked. When the water boils, add rice and cook with the lid on.
- When the water has almost evaporated, add the coconut pulp. Do not stir the rice unnecessarily, as it will become sticky.
- Leave with the lid on for 5 minutes, on the second lowest heat.
- Preferably served lukewarm.
