I hardly ever buy too much to stock my pantry and normally I’ll make a trip to the store if I need to get some ingredient which I don’t have at hand. Since I normally plan ahead, I very rarely need to make those special trips. Of course, there are those days when I forget items on my shopping list or the shop doesn’t have what I want or it’s just one of those days when I suddenly have a craving and all hell breaks loose. So this was one of those days when all hell broke loose and I went out of my way to get some cashews and rose water just so that I could eat cashew rice and it was well worth my effort.

Ingredients: (serves 4)
3 cups of rice
3 cups of water
1 tbsp rose water
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 level tbsp of plain yoghurt
4 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
1 level tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 stick cinnamon
4 cloves
4 cardamoms
salt to taste
1/2 cup cashew nuts - fry in a little oil/ghee until golden brown

Method:

1. Wash rice and drain.
2. Combine in a bowl all the liquid ingredients - water, rose water, evaporated milk and yoghurt. Use a whisk to stir in the yoghurt.
3. Heat ghee in a shallow pan. Fry the ginger-garlic paste, cinnamom, cloves and cardamom til fragrant.
4. Add the liquid ingredients and salt. Bring to a boil.
5. When boiling add the rice and stir. Leave it to boil until water reduces.
6. Cover the pot, lower the fire and continue to cook until the rice is dry and fragrant. (Preferably use a pot with a transparent lid.)
7. While the rice is cooking, fry the cashews and leave it aside.
8. When the rice is ready, turn off fire, stir rice and stir in the cashew.
9. Serve with mutton curry, fried chicken and other side dishes.

 Tips:

• Ghee gives a more frangrant aroma and is tastier but it is also unhealthy especially for people who have heart diseases or have a history of it. The alternative is to use vegetable oil but it will be less tasty - not too much to give up for health. Also, not a dish to eat always if you use ghee.
• It’s a simple rice to cook especially when having guests.