Spiced basmati rice with peas (Matar pulao)

1. Wash the rice in cold water until clean, soak for 20 minutes and drain.

2. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and the cardamom lightly crushed in a mortar for half a minute.

3. Add the thinly sliced onion and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown: this gives the pulao its slightly sweet, caramel note.

4. Stir in the peas and rice and turn gently for 2 minutes. Pour in the hot water, add salt and bring to the boil.

5. Cover tightly and cook over the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then rest covered for 10 minutes.

6. Fluff with a fork, remove the whole spices (or warn your guests) and serve with raita or a curry.

Tip: Pulao comes from the Persian "polow" and is the simpler, one-step relative of biryani. It works perfectly with frozen peas, straight from the freezer into the pan.