Recipes

Rinse the rice in a sieve and soak it in a bowl of cold water for half an hour. This allows the boat-shaped grains to elongate elegantly.

Cook unsoaked rice in boiling water and it will split.

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook until really soft and lightly golden- about 8 minutes. Add the spices and cook for 3 minutes. Add the washed rice followed by boiling water or stock and saffron milk. Bring the pan to the boil, then put the lid on. “If you aren’t confident that the lid is tight fitting, then put a sheet of foil over the top of the pan before putting the lid on.”

Boil for a couple of seconds, then reduce the heat to the lowest heat and cook for 20-25 minutes. Once just cooked, add the peas and spinach and fold through. Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Decant onto a serving plate or dish. Gently fry the curry leaves in the remaining butter until they start to pop, spoon over the top of the rice, followed by the onions and pomegranate seeds.

Alternatively put the covered pan in the oven set to 350F/180C/gas mark 4 (a useful trick for hobs which don’t have a very low setting).Cook for 20 minutes, resisting the temptation to lift the lid and check.

Using either method, when the time is up the rice will be cooked and all the liquid absorbed. If it has stuck a bit at the bottom, then just scoop the rice from the top. Or, if the bottom is lightly browned and crunchy-chewy then brazen it out and serve it up, calling it Persian rice. “It’s delicious.