Name: Golden spiced pilaf with crispy shallots
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 250g basmati rice; 25g butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus extra for deep-frying; 1 onion finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 small cinnamon stick; 8 cardamom pods; 1 star anise; 1 lemon; 600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock or 1 stock cube mixed with hot water from the kettle; 6 shallots peeled, halved and thinly sliced; 50g nuts of your choice (we used a mixture of cashews, pistachios and flaked almonds); 200g natural yogurt; large pinch of saffron; 125g dried fruit of your choice, such as apricots, cranberries or raisins; handful of coriander leaves picked

1 Tip the rice into a saucepan and cover with warm water, then leave to soak for 30 mins.

2 Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat, then drizzle in the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 8-10 mins, stirring until the onion is translucent.

3 Stir in the ground and whole spices, sizzling them in the butter and oil for 1-2 mins, then drain the rice and add it to the pan. Peel three long strips of zest from the lemon using a vegetable peeler, and drop these into the pan. Stir everything together, pour over the stock and bring to a simmer. Stir again and cover, then continue to simmer for 2 mins more. Turn off the heat and leave to stand, without opening the lid, for 15 mins.

4 Pour a 2cm depth of oil into a deep pan or wok set over a medium heat and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the shallots in two batches, sizzling for 8 mins per batch until golden brown. This will take a while, and they catch quickly, so watch closely to prevent this. Spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon, then sprinkle with salt and leave to cool slightly.

5 Toast the nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 2-3 mins until golden. Mix the yogurt with the saffron and a pinch of salt in a small serving bowl and set aside.

6 Uncover the rice and check it’s ready – it should be tender and all the liquid should have been absorbed. If not, cover and leave to stand for another 5 mins. Once cooked, fluff up the grains using a fork, and stir through the nuts and dried fruit. Tip out onto a serving platter, removing the whole spices and lemon peel as you do. Scatter over the crispy shallots and the coriander leaves, then serve with the saffron yogurt on the side.