Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           long grain Indian Basmati rice
   2      cups          warm water
                        salt -- to taste
     1/2  teaspoon      black pepper powder
   1      teaspoon      cumin seeds
   1                    bay leaf
   2      sticks        cinnamon -- (2 inch)
   1                    black cardamom
   1                    onion -- sliced finely
   1      tablespoon    raisins
     1/2  cup           frozen peas -- washed and drained
   2      tablespoons   ghee or clarified butter

Preparation:

Wash rice thoroughly and soak in water for half an hour. Drain thoroughly. In a pan, heat ghee or clarified butter. Fry half the onion, until golden brown. Remove and set aside for garnish. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon. When cumin seeds sizzle, add the rice. Add salt and pepper. Stir until ghee coats every grain of rice and rice looks glossy. Add warm water. Bring to a boil. Add the peas and the raisins. Stir once. Reduce heat to minimum and cover the pan with a lid. Leave a little gap, otherwise water will boil over. Rice will be done when holes appear on the surface and water has been completely absorbed. Fork the rice out onto a serving dish. This will separate each grain out. Garnish with fried onion. Serve hot with any curry.