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1
Melt the ghee in a heavy-based pan over a medium flame and add all the whole spices. Fry until the cumin seeds begin to sputter and the bay leaves stiffen at the edges, so the fat carries the full perfume of each spice into every grain that follows — the fat will smell warm and resinous, which is your signal that the blooming is done. Pull back the heat immediately if the seeds begin to darken beyond a deep gold.
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2
Add the fully drained rice and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes, turning each grain in the hot ghee until it turns slightly opaque and offers a faint resistance when pressed between two fingers — the fat coat formed here is what keeps the grains separate throughout absorption, so under-frying leaves starchy, sticky results and over-frying scorches the grain. This is where the dish lives or dies: the colour change and the finger test together tell you when to move on.
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3
Pour in the hot stock in a steady stream, because liquid already at a simmer meets the coated grains without shocking them into clumping or washing off the ghee coat. The ratio is 1 part rice to 1.5 parts stock by volume; when the temperatures are correctly matched the surface should immediately return to a gentle, even bubble across the whole pan.
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4
Add the salt, stir once, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook uncovered, or with the lid ajar, for approximately 15 minutes so that excess steam escapes freely rather than condensing back into the pan and making the surface wet. The rice is ready for the next stage when small steam holes appear across the surface and the edges look dry with no standing liquid remaining.
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5
Seal the lid tightly, remove the pan from the heat, and rest undisturbed for 10 minutes so the grains finish swelling on residual steam alone — lifting the lid early bleeds that steam and leaves the centres undercooked. When you do lift it, the grains should be fully elongated, dry to the eye, and slide freely from one another when the surface is drawn across gently with a fork.