Ranie Saidi’s nasi ros buah delima – pomegranate and rose water rice

“Curry Club London, run by Matt and Pete at the old ESEA Centre in Hackney, was founded to make good food accessible to everyone. No one really knows who pays and who doesn’t, so everyone feels equal. I created this recipe for one of their community lunches,” says food writer Ranie Saidi, author of new cookbook, The Malay Cook.

“Walking in always feels like joining a big family gathering – volunteers quietly setting up, Tash arranging seasonal flowers, Jes, Leda and Mukhta making sure every guest is looked after.

“For that lunch, I wanted something bright and festive, so I made this pomegranate and rose water rice – red, fragrant, slightly sweet and served with butternut squash coconut stew. Over time, the people I met there became my friends and the community felt like a second home. Sharing this dish felt like a true homecoming.”

Nasi ros buah delima – pomegranate and rose water rice

Ingredients:

(Serves 3-4)

300g basmati rice

250g pomegranate seeds

3tbsp rose water

2tsp beetroot water (or 1tsp red food colouring)

1 pandan leaf, tied and knotted (or 1tbsp vanilla extract)

Method:

1. Rinse the rice under cold running water using a fine-mesh sieve, then let it soak in a bowl of cold water for 15–30 minutes. (This helps the grains expand and cook more evenly, resulting in a lighter, fluffier texture.) Drain the rice and set aside. Place the pomegranate seeds, rose water and beetroot water (or food colouring) in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve to separate the liquids.

2. In a heavy-based pan or casserole dish, combine the rice, pandan leaf (or vanilla extract) and lime leaves with 600ml water. Stir in the blended pomegranate mixture. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to loosen any grains that may be sticking to the bottom.

3. Once the water is absorbed, check by pressing a spoon onto the rice – if no water rises around the spoon, cover the rice with a tight-fitting lid. Turn the heat to low and let the rice simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for a further 15 minutes to complete the steaming.

4. If using a rice cooker, transfer the rice mixture to the cooker and press the ‘cook’ button. Once the rice is cooked, leave it on ‘keep warm’ for another 10 minutes to steam completely.

The Malay Cook by Ranie Saidi is published in hardback by Ryland Peters & Small, priced £25. Photography by Mowie Kay © Ryland Peters & Small. Available now