Another Rice Salad

I love Basmati rice. I love it so much I bought a twenty pound bag at BJ's, so I need to find lots of ways to use it. Here's a nice spicy rice salad.

Basmati-Rice Salad with Cauliflower and Potatoes

1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and cooked in salted water (I usually add a teaspoon of olive oil)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small florets
1 pound baking potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons currants ( raisins are more usual, but I love currants)
3 to 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 scallions including green tops, chopped

Saute the onions in olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, mustard, cumin, cayenne, coriander, cloves, and 1 3/4 teaspoons of the salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the cauliflower, potatoes, and currants and coat with the spices. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat, and simmer until almost no liquid remains in the pan, about 10 minutes more.

Add the vegetables to the rice. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon vinegar, the cilantro, and scallions. Taste the salad and, if necessary, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Here's an easy way to roast garlic
Heat 2 cups of olive oil and 2 cups of peeled garlic cloves in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until the garlic is very tender and golden. Seperate oil and garlic. Store both in the refrigerator. Now you have roasted garlic and garlic-flavored olive oil. Roasted garlic is a wonderful substitute for butter on bread.