I want to learn to spices up my life. Usually I love simple, uncomplicated palate of flavour, except for several Indonesian food that I worship, which obviously Indonesian food are rich of spices. But as I love mystery, paradoxes, I also want to applied quite literally in my food. Array of experimental cooking, I think wont cause any harm, well maybe a bit hehe, as my stomach and taste bud adapt it.

To be honest garam masala is strong blend for me, I remember been cooking with it quite long time ago, and I need to acquire the taste into my palate, so this time I want to be gentle to myself, by using it to purpose as infused, also I want to used bright saffron instead of using turmeric. I also want to used some nut, with freeing my mind with the choices. I am going to used roasted pine nut. I fancy some dried fruit but unfortunately I don’t have it in hand, maybe next.

I want to pairing this rice with grilled fat oyster mushroom also with spices (going to posted it next) and fresh cilantro, yumm, I am literally drolls as I write this haha. So shall we?

GARAM MASALA RICE WITH WARM SAFFRON

Serve 3-4 medium portion

INGREDIENT

• 2 cup of basmati rice
• 50 ml warm milk (milk of your preference) mix it with 2 pinch of saffron. If you have a difficulty to find saffron, replace it with 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tsp sea salt (only if you have un-salty vegetable stock)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp good smoke paprika (sweet or spicy, of your preference)
• 1 medium size onion, dice it
• 2 tbs vegan butter
• 1 bayleaf
• Roasted peanut to serve (optional)
• Chop cilantro to serve (optional)
• Fried onion to serve (optional)

HOW TO

1. Wash the rice in running cold water, until the water turn clear (no longer white, washed the starch away, this method make the rice fluffier).
2. In small pan and medium hight heat, put inside the vegan butter and onion, sautéed until fragrant and translucent, slightly golden.
3. I am cooking in rice cooker, if you don’t have it, in bottom thick medium pot, put all the rest ingredient stirred well. And cooked in medium heat until all the liquid are absorbed by the rice. NOTE: keep an eye while cooking this rice if you used pot. If you used rice cooker, put all the rest ingredient together, stirred it well and push cooked.
4. After all the liquid are absorbed nicely, while it hot, scrambled the rice with forked. This method also make rice fluffy.
5. Ready to serve, I serve it with roasted pine nut, chop cilantro and fried onion.