Moroccan Rice

Bought some Moroccan spice from the store to use on chicken and looking for side dishes to accompany. 

Modified this recipe from feastingathome.com and used the rice cooker

Served with the chicken marinated in the Moroccan spice and Moroccan roasted veggies.

Ingredients:

-2 cups of basmati rice (the "small" cup)

-olive oil

-1 onion, thinly sliced (used half of a regular red onion)

-1/2-3/4 cup raisins (used the golden ones)

-2 cinnamon sticks (or sub 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp coriander

-1/4 tsp turmeric

-1/4 tsp cardamom (or nutmeg)

-1 tsp salt

-3 1/2 cups water/broth - 1 bottle

Garnishes

-1 orange (juice and zest)

-1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (didn't use since was using serranos with chicken)

-2 cups Italian parsley or 1 cup fresh mint (didn't use)

-1/2-1 cu pomegranate seeds (didn't use since using the raisins)

-1/2-1 cup slivered almonds (toasted)

Directions:

1. Prep and soak rice

2. Sauté onion until tender

3. Add raisins, cinnamon sticks, spices, and salt - toast 1 min

4. Removed from pan and toasted the almonds in same pan - would add a little oil next time to get the spices on the nuts

5. Add everything (minus nuts) to rice cooker and cook on mixed

6. After done, add orange zest, orange juice, ground pepper, ground cinnamon, salt, cayenne to taste

7. I didn't add the nuts since reheating and wanted to keep them crunchy