Whole Spice Fragrant Rice (Pulao) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
10 whole black peppercorns
1 (2 inch) cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves, or more to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 pods green cardamom
1 pod black cardamom
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon water, or as needed
1 large potato, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
3 1/2 cups water
1 green chile pepper, slit
1 cup basmati rice

Preparation

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, green cardamom, and black cardamom; cook and stir until starting to sputter, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stir onion into the pot; cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic paste, ginger paste, and water; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potato; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato; cook until juices start to evaporate, about 2 minutes.
Pour water into the pot; add green chile pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour in rice; cook until rice comes up to the surface of the water, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover and simmer over low heat until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes more.