Spiced rice with leeks and red kidney beans

1 c brown basmati rice
1 onion, peeled and sliced
½ t cumin seeds
¼ t turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 ½ lb leeks
1 3/4 c cooked red kidney beans
salt and freshly ground pepper

Wash the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear, then put the rice into a heavy-based saucepan with the onion, cumin seeds, chili powder, turmeric, cinnamon stick, broken in half, and the cloves. Pour in 21/2 cups of boiling water and put over a moderate heat. Bring back to a boil, then put on a tight fitting lid, lower the heat and leave to cook gently for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the roots and outer leaves from the leeks, and slit them down the sides so that you can open them up and wash them under cold water. Then cut them into ½ inch lengths. After the rice has been cooking for 15 minutes, put the leeks into the pan on top-but don’t sir. Cover and leave it to cook for a further 10 minutes, after which put the kidney beans into the pan on top of the leeks. Cover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, until the kidney beans are hot, the leeks tender, the rice cooked and all the water absorbed. Remove from the heat and season to taste. Fork through gently to mix everything and fluff the rice before serving.

Recipe from Vegetarian Four Seasons by Rose Elliot; Serves 4