Tomato Rice (Tamatar Biryani) by pauljoseph - Recipe Print View

In a medium bowl, place the rice. Fill the bowl halfway with water to cover the rice. Gently rub the grains through your fingers, without breaking them, to wash off any dust or light foreign objects (like loose husks), which will float to the surface. The water will become cloudy. Drain and repeat this process three or four times, until the water remains relatively clear; drain again. Fill the bowl halfway with cold water and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, until the kernels soften. Drain one more time. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the ghee. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, mace, and cloves. Cook, stirring, for 15 to 30 seconds, until they sizzle, crackle, and smell aromatic. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes, until light brown around the edges. Mix in the chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. (You don't want the garlic to brown because its nutlike crunch is important to the rice's texture.) Stir in the tomatoes, with their juices, and the salt and turmeric. Simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes soften. Add the drained rice and toss gently to coat with the tomato sauce. Pour in 1½ cups water and stir once to incorporate. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the water has evaporated from the surface and craters are starting to appear in the rice. Then (and not until then) stir once to bring the partially cooked layer from the bottom of the pan to the surface. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes (10 minutes for a gas burner). Turn off the heat and let the pan sit on that burner, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and sprinkle with the cilantro. (Remove the cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks before you serve, or just remind folks to eat around them.)