I recently picked up some brown kalijira rice. It's a Bengali
heirloom varietal, notable for its tiny grains and its aroma (similar
to basmati). So on Wednesday, I finally was in the mood to try it
out. I made some plain fesenjan (no tofu, no veggies, etc.) to go
with it. The rice, I just simmered covered with a little water and
salt till cooked. The fesenjan was also pretty straightforward,
though it took longer:

1/2 cup diced onions
oil
pinch of cumin seeds, ground
pinch of coriander seeds, ground
2 cardamom pods, peeled, ground
1/4 tsp ground red chili
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 cup walnuts, ground coarsely or chopped
1 cup pomegranate juice

Saute the onion in the olive oil.
Add all the spices and saute a bit more.
Add the walnuts, and saute a bit more.
Add the juice, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat and let it simmer
gently till reduced to a stew-like consistency, stirring
periodically.

They went really well together, I was pleased to discover. And the
kalijira was lovely; I'm sure I'll be making it again soon.


N.