Fragrant ghee rice with whole spices made for Harela — the most important agricultural festival of Uttarakhand celebrating the monsoon planting season.
Ingredients
2 cups basmati or local hill rice
1/2 cup moong dal
3 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
3 green cardamom pods — lightly crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
4.5 cups water
Method
Wash rice and moong dal together in cold water until mostly clear. No soaking needed.
Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot. Add bay leaf, crushed cardamom and cumin seeds. Fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add washed rice and dal. Toss in ghee for 2 minutes — coating every grain with the spiced ghee.
Add turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Stir.
Add 4.5 cups water. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Stir once. Reduce to the lowest possible heat.
Cover tightly. Cook 18 to 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
Turn off heat. Rest covered 5 minutes. Open and fluff gently with a fork.
Serve as the centrepiece of the Harela festival thali alongside roat (the jaggery wheat sweet), yogurt and pickle.