Iraqi Rice (Timman) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter for those who eat dairy)
3 cups chicken stock (or beef etc.)
salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 paper towels, each cut in two

Preparation

Wash rice well in a sieve and drain.
Heat olive oil or butter in a large based pot, add rice and stir over high heat for two minutes.
Add stock and bring to high simmer stirring once at first to separate the grains from the bottom of the pot.
Reduce heat to medium low and cover pot tightly for 15 minutes.
Open pot and fluff rice with a fork.
Place paper towels around rim and cover tightly again. (This makes for a fluffier grain).
Reduce heat to low and leave for 25 minutes then remove paper towels and you can leave longer on low. (I actually preheat my oven to 350F instead of leaving mine on low and then I leave the rice pot on the burner that heat escapes from the oven until we are ready to eat. *Of course this only works if your stove is on top of your oven. I find a good quality grain lasts hours this way and is warm and ready to eat when you are).
Meanwhile in a small dry pan toast pine nuts over medium high heat until golden. Watch carefully as they tend to burn quickly.
Sprinkle over rice and fluff with a fork to incorporate.
Enjoy with any meat stew, bamia (okra) dish or chicken.