Wash rice to get rid off any debris. Soak it in cold water for about 15min.
Heat oil in a pot or saucepan. Drain the rice and have it ready to go. Once the oil is hot, add all the spices. Make sure to stir frequently so they don’t burn! Fry for about a minute until the spices release their flavours (you can smell it in the air!).
Add rice and fry for another minute or two until it turns translucent. Season with salt.
Pour in water and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute without a lid on, then stir vigorously for a few seconds.
Reduce heat to its lowest setting and put the lid on. Cook for 15 minutes. Don’t stir the rice!
Take the pot/saucepan off the heat and let it stand for another 10 minutes. THe steam will cook the rice even further
Now you need to take out the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves (normally they float somewhere on the top). You can eat the cumin seeds, no need to remove them.
Serve hot with your curry! Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander leaves.
Notes
Basmati rice is used traditionally, but any other white rice will do. Brown rice will definitely take much longer to cook.
You can keep leftovers in the fridge for a few days or you can also freeze them for up to 3 months.