Nasi Beriyani

Recipe from Chef Wan of AFC

Ingredients: 400 g / 14 oz / 1 ¾ cups Basmati Rice, washed and drained 55 g / 2 oz / ¼ cup Ghee (Minyak Sapi) or Margarine 6 Onions, peeled and sliced 10 Shallots (Red Onion), peeled and sliced 2 Lemongrass (Serai), bruised 1 Bulb Fresh Ginger, finely sliced into small strips 1 Screw Pine Leaf (Daun Pandan), shredded and knotted 4 Tomatoes, finely chopped 2 Tbsp / 1 fl oz Tomato puree - optional 435 ml / 14 fl oz / 1 ¾ cups Chicken or Beef Stock 125 ml / fl oz ½ cup Evaporated Milk 2 tsp Saffron Strands 60 ml / fl oz ¼ cup Rose Water 1 cup Raisins 1 cup toasted Cashew Nuts Crisp-fried Shallots (Bawang Goreng) for garnish 1 bunch Mint Leaves (Daun Pudina), chopped and rinsed Banana Leaves (enough to cover pot) Salt to taste Whole Spices Ingredients: 5 Cloves 6 Cardamom Pods 4 Star Anise 2 Cinnamon Sticks

Method: Melt Ghee and sauté the whole spices ingredients for a few minutes. Add in Onions, Shallots, Fresh Ginger, Lemongrass and Screw Pine Leaf (Daun Pandan), and fry till golden. Add in Raisins and fresh tomatoes; cook till tomatoes begin to soften. Add in Basmati Rice and stir gently. Then, add Beef or Chicken Stock (ratio to rice is 1.2:1), Cashew nuts, Saffron Strands, a little salt (optional, depends on the saltiness of stock), half of the fresh Mint leaves, and Evaporated Milk. *Optional* Tomato puree can be added at this stage. Cook on moderate heat and stir occasionally till rice softens. Add in Rose Water, crisp-fried Shallots and the remaining Mint leaves. Cover the rice with Banana Leaves, then cover the pot and cook till rice is tender (5 -10 minutes). Serve steaming hot and garnish with left over Raisins, Cashew Nuts,

crisp-fried Shallots and Mint Leaves to taste.