Yellow Rice with Carrots, Raisins and Sesame Seeds

I love the flavors of Indian food. I look for cookbooks in the library on Indian cuisine and try all kinds of recipes or do my own improvisations with the ingredients I have on hand. This recipe comes from a Madhur Jaffrey cookbook whose title I didn't make note of.  Ms. Jaffrey's style is relaxed and informal, which fits me just fine. The rice is beautiful and goes well with chicken or fish. My version calls for brown basmati rice, which Henry and I both prefer.

2 cups brown basmati rice

2 tbl. vegetable oil

1 stick cinnamon, 1 inch long

1/4 tsp. celery seed

2 tsps. sesame seeds

1 tbl. golden raisins

1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Measure out rice and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over a medium flame.  When hot, put in the cinnamon and celery seeds.  Stir once and put in the sesame seeds.  Stir once and put in the raisins.  Stir once and quickly put in the rice, carrot, turmeric and salt.  Saute the rice for 1-2 minutes or until it turns translucent, turning the heat down a bit if it sticks.  Now add 2 2/3 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Cover tightly, turn heat to very low and cook for about 35 minutes or until done. Turn off heat and let pot sit, covered, for 5 minutes.  Mix gently and remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

Serves 6

Notes: I use Lundberg rice which does not need rinsing or soaking beforehand. Some basmati rice requires washing in several changes of water, draining and then covering well with water to soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rice thoroughly before using. Read the directions.

I often add a can of well drained black beans to the rice during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Consider cooking extra so that you can turn the leftover rice into rice salad the next day.