Plain Rice flavored with spices

Plain rice doesn’t have to be so plain, this Somali rice recipe it is easy to prepare and most all it is a wonderful side dish with full off flavor and color, garnished with crispy fried onions and raisins.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons ghee/oil
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 whole cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 chicken cube

Directions:

• Rinse the rice well in cold water until most of the starch is removed.
• Heat the oil in a pan on a medium heat, and sauté the onions until brown.
• Add salt, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and the cumin and cook until the onions are brown. Add the drained rice and stir for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the water and chicken cube and stir in and cover, bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat.
• Continue to cook gently on a low heat until the rice is tender about 10 to 15 minutes.

for garnish:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon food coloring
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 small onion, sliced

• heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion and fry until nice and brown. Add the raisins and cook untill they puff up.
• Add this mixture over rice, add the food coloring on one side.
• Gently fluff the rice with a fork and serve.