Hob-top spiced rice pudding

This is a very popular Indian dessert. My mother would shamelessly kick-start this pudding by frying the spices and rice in clarified butter. In a nod to cardiologists, I use unsalted butter. I have to concede that this buttery beginning is critical to achieving the final nutty sweetness of the pudding. Using whole spices actually gives a gentle aroma. If you want a really spicy punch, use ground versions of the spices, once again frying them in the butter to ensure their aromatic oils are