Fragrant Saffron & nut biryani

The cool winter sea breeze of Karachi in December brought a very different feeling with it. It was welcomed after a long hot, intolerant summer. Suddenly the streets would be buzzing with happy folk, in their shawls and the men in their warm hand-woven Peshawari topi's  longing for the first touch of winter to pull out their long awaiting winter wear. It was an idyllic time, with weddings, parties and friends visiting, there was something to look forward to every day.My best memories in the winter have always been being ablilty to be outside, feel the cool crisp winter air kiss my skin and breathe in the dry desert air of Karachi laced with the essence of  mild winter and heightened with hopefully excitement it brought. I loved being able to visit  open bazaars with no risk of getting a heat stroke or being weighed down with sweat. People spend much time in shopping malls and modern shops now, but to me the real Pakistan is still on the street side shops, open markets and the thela-wallas (street vendors with wooden wheeled stalls) breathing in the fumes of exhausts. Something about the honestly with which they sell, behind their sometimes  overpriced items, I knew their purpose was mostly so they can eat a meal with their family that evening, maybe trying to rob you off a few more Rupees than it's worth, but bargaining is a part of our shopping experience - nothing costs as much as it's priced. In my eyes I always wished to support them and loved buying anything they sold. By far my favourite  were either the Sindhi thela-wallas selling mangoes in summer or the Pathan thela-wallas selling dry fruit in winter. There he would stand proudly topped with his Peshawari topi, his thick coarse beige shawl and his worn out chappals, boasting his rough, weather beaten sea blue eyes  eyes and hard labour hands; standing by the rugged stall, laden with tall plastic bags filled with pistachios, chilgozay (Pakistani pine nuts, from the NWFP area, longer and thinner than regular pine nuts), gajjak (sweet candy made with sugar and seasame seeds), almonds, walnuts and my least favourite at the time, sultanas and currants. I have no idea why these tiny  bursts of raisin-like  sweetness always make me slightly sick.  It might have been that my mother loved to add them to everything sweet but more importantly, everything savoury. I never quite understood the facination - I knew the roots of recipes with this sultana addition, being Kashmiri and North Pakistan based, but never acquired the taste of it, until now. The thela-walla would pour these nuts for me in a small brown paper bag, we'd exchange money and I would probably finish them on my way home...As for all we eat in Pakistan, everything has thanda (cold) or garam (warm) properties, nuts are meant to be garam, hence they are meant to warm you inside and out - that's why this rugged man only appeared at the sight of the first break of winter....Back to the sultana's in savoury - Rice and lamb was where they were found most in my home, never realised the balance of flavour that it added, and there was one rice dish my mother always made in winter, to accompany a warming curry or a roast - Nutty biryani  - an invention of my mothers, this is not your traditional biryani it's a cross between a biryani and a pilau/pilaf - or just an infused steam rice -  this incorporates your favourite winter dry fruits, sultanas, saffron and is cooked like a biryani i.e. under dum (cooked covered with its steam) - this allow for the aromas and flavours to infused beautifully into the rice.  This recipe now brings warmth to my home, with its comforting fragrance, it's treasured memories and mostly it's a taste of my mom's cooking that I know,  love and cherish most. For someone who disliked sultanas and is consuming a fruity couscous at 4.30 am, I have definitely come a long way! Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes - 60 minutesServes:  4-6 peopleMain ingredients:150 g Basmati rice, washed and soaked for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to cooking1 red onion, peeled, cut into thin rings and fried in vegetable oil until golden brown, drained and kept to coolvegetable oil1/2 stick cinnamon4-5 green cardamom pods, bashed open6-7 cloves1 tsp cumin1 tsp coriander seeds1 bay leaf1/2 tsp peppercorns1/2 tsp garlic paste1/2 tsp ginger pasteSalt to tasteWater at handNuts and dry fruit:A handful of shelled unsalted pistachiosA handful of skinned whole almondsA handful of sultanas(save a bit for garnish)ghee to fryGarnish:A few mint leaves1/2 lemon, sliced into thin rounds2-4 whole thin green chills1 generous pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp boiling waterEquipment:A saucepan with a tight fitting lidFoil Method:1. Begin with par-boiling the soaked then drained rice, strain and then set rice aside until later. Fry the nuts and then the sultanas in a little ghee and also fry your onions are explained above. Set all this aside for now.2. Heat about 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the saucepan over medium heat and once hot, throw in all the whole spices, once the start to splutter, add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry stirring continuously, do not let this brown. Once the raw smell of the garlic and ginger evaporates, add the par-boiled rice and fry for a minute or two. Turn the heat to medium low. Add the fried nuts (safe a few for garnishing) and mix with the rice.3. Now pour over the saffron, shove the lemon slices and a few mint leaves into the rice, sprinkle the fried onions. Add a little water to the pan, about 2-4 tbsp.  Place a piece of foil to cover the top the pan, tightly fit the lid and turn heat to low.4. Leave to infuse and cook for about 15-20 minutes, not longer. Turn heat off and lift off lid and foil. The rice should be steaming and aromas should now be developed! After a gentle stir, serve immediately.