Onion, Cinnamon, and Dry Fruit Pilaf

This is a really nice comforting rice dish with caramelized onions, a ton of cinnamon, and made richer with cashews, raisins, and green grapes. I made mine using red rice, which is notorious for having a really long cooking time (40 minutes!).

Onion, Cinnamon, and Dry Fruit Pilaf

Adapted from: Vicky Ratnani's Onion and Brown Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red rice
• 2 red onions
• Handful of raisins
• Handful of cashews
• Handful of charoli
• Handful of green grapes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 cups of vegetable stock (optional)
• Salt to taste

To make:
Wash your rice, rinse, and soak in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile chop your onions into long slivers and your grapes slit into two.

In a pot, heat the olive oil and add your onions. Let the onions caramelize by cooking on a low flame for 15 minutes.

Grind your cinnamon bark to make about 1 -1.5 teaspoons of cinnamon powder. Add to the onions, along with the coriander powder, sugar and salt.

Stir well. Add the rice once the onions have gone limp, and cook for another five minutes.

Add the vegetable stock, if available, or water to the pot, cover with a lid, and let it cook for 30 minutes (Less if you're using white rice). The rule of thumb is to add enough water to cover the rice and one inch above that.
Approximately 10 minutes before your rice is cooked, add the charoli, raisins, and cashews.

Add the chopped grapes into the pilaf 1-2 minutes before the rice is completely done.

While serving, garnish with more dry fruit, grapes, etc.

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