• Place the rice in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover by 2-3 inches. Use your hand to gently turn the rice over, swishing it to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat three times.

  1 cup basmati rice

  
  
  
  
• Cover the rice again and leave it to soak for 30 minutes. Then use a fine-mesh strainer to drain the rice.
• Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add the salt and the drained rice. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the rice is tender. Start checking at 8 minutes.

  boiling water

  2 teaspoon salt

  
  
  
  
• When the rice is cooked, use a fine-mesh strainer to drain the rice - pour the cooked rice and remaining water carefully into the strainer and allow the excess water to drain.
• Mix the turmeric with the boiling water, and while the rice is still in the strainer, pour the mixture over the top. It will stain some rice yellow.

  1 tablespoon boiling water

  ⅛ teaspoon turmeric

  
  
  
  
• Use a rubber spatula to gently turn the rice and distribute the colored grains. You aren't going to color all of the rice, just some of the grains.
• Transfer to a serving bowl.

Optional -

• Heat the ghee/oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the curry leaves and the mustard, cumin, and fennel seeds. Remove the pan from the heat and pour over the rice.

  1 tablespoon ghee/oil

  3 curry leaves

  ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

  ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

  ½ teaspoon fennel seeds