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1
Wash the rice, if basmati, in warm water, and rinse in a small-holed colander in cold water under the tap.
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2
In a pan, bring the stock to the boil with the cardamom seeds, cloves, and cinnamon sticks and simmer for 10 minutes.
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3
Add the saffron and a little salt and pepper and pour in the rice.
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4
Let it come to the boil again and stir well, then lower the heat to a minimum and cook on low heat, with the lid on, for about 20 minutes, until little holes appear on the surface and the rice is tender.
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5
Stir in the butter, cut into pieces, or the oil.
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6
Serve the rice hot, in a mound, or press in a mold and heat through in the oven before turning it out.
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7
Serve sprinkled with a mixture of lightly toasted pine nuts and coarsely chopped almonds and pistachios, or throw these into the bottom of the mold, if using one, before pressing in the rice, so that they come out on top when you turn out.
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8
Add 3 tablespoons currants at the same time as the rice.
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9
Garnish, if you like, with 1 chopped onion fried till golden, or 3 tablespoons raisins soaked in boiling water for a few minutes and 3 tablespoons flaked or chopped almonds toasted under the broiler or fried in 2 tablespoons oil.
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10
For rice with turmericreferred to as Oriental saffron and used as an alternativesubstitute 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for the saffron.
