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1
Wash the basmati under cold running water until the water runs clear, so the excess surface starch that would otherwise make the cooked grains gummy is removed. Cover with cold water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain — the grains will have visibly elongated, which is the correct state before cooking.
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2
Warm the milk to just below a simmer and add the saffron, leaving it to bloom undisturbed for 15 minutes so the threads surrender their colour and fragrance slowly into the fat of the milk rather than dissolving unevenly. The milk will turn a deep, even gold with no dry streaks of saffron remaining — uneven colour here will mean uneven colour in the finished rice.
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3
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-based pot over medium heat and add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and cloves, frying them briefly so the heat draws their volatile oils into the ghee, which will carry those aromas through every grain of rice. The spices will release a warm, resinous fragrance within 30 to 45 seconds — do not allow them to darken.
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4
Add the drained rice to the pot and stir to coat the grains in the spiced ghee, then pour over the saffron-milk — the rice must cook entirely in the saffron-milk, not in water, so the colour and richness penetrate each grain rather than sitting on the surface. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the grains are long, separate, and fully cooked through, approximately 15 to 18 minutes; a grain pressed between the fingers should yield with no hard centre.
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5
Remove the pot from the heat and scatter the sugar evenly over the surface of the cooked rice, then cover again and allow to rest for 5 minutes off the heat so the residual steam dissolves the sugar gently without making the grains wet. Fold it through with a fork, using a light hand — the grains must remain separate, as clumping at this stage indicates the sugar was added too early or the rice was undercooked.
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6
Heat the remaining ghee in a small pan over high heat and fry the cashews and almonds first, stirring constantly, until golden, then add the raisins so they plump and begin to blister in the hot fat rather than simply softening — remove everything immediately, as the nuts must be golden, not pale, and the raisins must not burst. The ghee will smell nutty and sweet when the moment is right.
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7
Turn the finished rice onto the serving platter — the tabak in the Wazwan tradition — and scatter the fried dry fruits and their ghee over the top. The surface should be an even saffron gold, the grains long and separate, with no wet or gummy patches.