Sweet Onion Pilaf

One of the things I grew up eating almost on a daily basis was White Basmati Rice. My dad was a big rice eater and all sorts of pilafs (pulaos) were a part of daily life. This particular dish, called Pyaz ka Pulao  in India, was one of his favorites. He considered himself to be somewhat of a rice connoisseur and always said that for a dish to be considered the best - every grain of rice had to be just perfectly cooked to the point that it was done .. but not overdone as to stick to the next grain. It should fluff up under a fork :) !!! The pilaf I made earlier this week lived up to that test!!! 

Sweet Onion Pilaf with Green Beans

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 1 cup White Basmati (Long grain) Rice
2. 1 Small White Onion
3. 2 cups Water
4. 6 cloves 
5. 1 x 1" stick of cinnamon
6. 6 Green Cardamoms
7. 10-14 Peppercorns
8. 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
9. 2 tsp Deggi Chilli powder
10. 3 Small Bay Leaves 
11. Salt (to taste)

Directions:

Dice or julienne the onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and saute in a medium sized sauce pan until it is deeply caramelized. A non-stick pan, and occasional splashes of water help with this process. Once the onion is deep golden brown in color add all the dry spices and saute for another 30 seconds. Immediately add water and rice and mix well. You'll immediately notice that the caramelized onions will release their golden color into the water. That's a good thing :) !! Bring mixture to a full boil, and then reduce heat to medium low, and cover the pan partially to prevent rapid evaporation. Once rice is cooked (the grains will cook to about twice their original length!), cover and let site for a couple more minutes. Any water that remains at this time (should be very little) should get absorbed by the rice in the next couple of  minutes. Serve hot as a side, or use as a base for your entree. Enjoy!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 185 (Fat Calories 14)
Total Fat 1.6 g; Carbohydrates 40.1 g; Fiber 3.9 g; Sugars 0.8 g; Protein 4.0 g