Indian Rice Pilaf With Tomato-Onion Raita & Crispy Papad

• Tomato-onion raita
• 1 cup Indian-style yogurt, whisked (or plain whole-milk yogurt, just not Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon, divided (don't use olive oil)
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (or more, if you like)
• 2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, for garnish
• 1 dash salt, to taste
• 1 Indian green chile, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• Vegetable pilaf
• 1 cup white basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons ghee, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 whole green cardamom pods
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon whole clove
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 star anise
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Indian green chile, finely chopped (less or more, depending on your spice)
• 1 handful carrots, julienned
• 1 handful peas (if frozen, thawed)
• 1 handful green beans, chopped
• 1 dash salt, to taste
• 1 bunch mint leaves
• 1 big handful cashews
• 1 big handful golden raisins
• 1 bunch cilantro, torn
• Small to medium-sized Indian papad, pan-fried or microwaved, for serving

1. In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and tomato for about 2 to 3rnminutes. Add dash of salt. Switch off flame and transfer to a bowl.
2. When it cools, add the onion and tomato mixture to the yogurt. Mix in the cilantro leaves.
3. In the same saute pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add green chile and mustard seeds. Cook until the mustard seeds start popping.
4. Add the green chile and mustard seed mixture on top of the yogurt and serve.
5. Wash the rice and drain water completely. Cook rice in a rice cooker or over the stove-top, using a ratio of 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. (The rice should be light and fluffy-not be mushy.)
6. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee over medium-low heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, clove, bay leaves, star anise, and cumin seeds and saute for 2 to 3 minutes to release the oils of the spices; this is the base.
7. Bump the heat up to medium, add onions and saute until they turn transparent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and green chile and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until aromatic.
8. Add the carrots, green beans, and peas and cook for 5 to 10 minutes (until the carrots and green beans are tender, but not mushy). Add dash of salt, to taste.
9. Turn off the heat. Add mint leaves to the vegetable and spice mixture. Then add the cooked rice and mix until the flavors marry together.
10. In a separate small skillet, heat 2 tablespoon ghee over medium heat and toast the cashews and raisins together, about 2 to 4 minutes; make sure not to burn them. Stir the cashews and raisins into the rice mixture. Add another dash of salt, to taste. Sprinkle coriander leaves as garnish.
11. Pan-fry some papad; it acts as the perfect crunch with the yogurt-based raita. Serve the rice alongside a big scoop of the yogurt raita and 2 or 3 papad.

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Taken from food52.com/recipes/78249-indian-rice-pilaf-with-tomato-onion-raita-crispy-papad (may not work)