Jewelled Stovetop Rice

For a dish that looks so classy, and tastes complex, it’s hard to believe that everything happens in one pan. Fresh curry leaves have a distinctive flavour that’s hard to define, but I’ll try: notes of clove, citrus and a characteristic savouriness are released when they’re fried in oil. I buy mine from an Indian supermarket, and the leaves I don’t use straightaway can be frozen in a sealed bag for up to a year. If you can’t find them, leave them out (the dried ones don’t carry the same pot