Lemon grass is grown on the edges of the more precipitous slopes of Sri Lanka’s numerous tea gardens. Some of these plantations are visible from the front patio of Ena’s mountain bungalow. Lemon grass keeps insects away, and its long roots hold back the soil. I had this aromatic and festive dish in the museum-like home of Sri Lankan batik artist Ena de Silva, where it was served with dozens of curries and relishes. You may serve this at banquets and family meals alike. It goes well with coconut-milk-based curries, such as Kerala-Style Chicken Curry.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4¿6

　　2 cups basmati rice

　　3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　3 cardamom pods

　　3 whole cloves

　　One 2-inch cinnamon stick

　　10 fresh curry leaves or 5 fresh basil leaves, torn up

　　2 cloves garlic, crushed to a pulp

　　2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

　　The bottom 6 inches of a lemon grass stalk, cut into 2 pieces

　　1 packed cup finely chopped cilantro (use tender stems and leaves)

　　2 2/3 cups chicken stock

　　1 teaspoon salt (1 1/2 teaspoons if the stock is unsalted)

　　

Step 1

Wash the rice in several changes of water. Drain. Soak in water to cover generously for 30 minutes. Drain.

　　

Step 2

Pour the oil into a medium-sized, heavy pan and set on medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Let them sizzle for 5 seconds. Put in the curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and lemon grass. Stir around for a minute. Add the drained rice and the cilantro. Turn heat to medium and stir for a minute. Add the stock and salt and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and cook gently for 25 minutes.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.