Fragrant Basmati Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice (7oz)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly smashed
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups water
• salt

Instructions:

In a sieve, rinse the basmati rice under cold running water until the water runs clear, roughly 2 minutes. Drain the rice until dry, shaking the sieve occasionally for 5 minutes. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until shimmering. Add the cardamom, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and cook until fragrant, roughly 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring until opaque, roughly 2 minutes. Add the water and a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, roughly 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and discard the spices and serve.