Perfumed Basmati Rice with Black Cardamom Pods

Indians call spice-flavored rice dishes pulaos, while many in the Western world refer to them as pilafs. This side dish combines three of Kashmir’s prized ingredients—basmati rice, black cardamom pods, and saffron—to create smoky magic. I usually serve this with Roghan josh, that lamb classic from the same region, full of potent flavors and deep red color. Kashmiris will use their fingers (of the right hand—the left usually reserv