Caramel Rice (Pulao) - not sweet!

So this is what I had made at Zalyah's place and later tried to reproduce at the dhikr circle recently! Lets see how this goes :) 

What you ABSOLUTELY NEED : 
Basmati Rice - 2 cups, soak in 4 cups of water for 15-20 min.
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Salt - slightly more than "to taste" to balance the sugar
Onions - 2 medium, sliced
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

What would make this SPECIAL :
Coriander leaves- 1/2 a bunch, chopped
Mint leaves - 1/2  a bunch, chopped
Green chillies - 3 for the brave hearted, slit in the middle

Here we go!
Heat oil in a deep frying pan, preferably non-stick..something like this.

Remember, I had used a wok at Zalyah's which worked fine!







Now add the cumin seeds, and let them go a bit brown, don't burn them, about half a minute would do!
Add the sugar now and keep mixing it till it gets brown and disappears in the oil and hence caramelizes.
Now add the sliced onions, they will immediately get a brown colour due to the caramelized sugar (not because they burn instantly!). Let them get fried in the oil for 1 min.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste and keep frying with the onions for about 2-3 min.
Here you can add the coriander, mint and chilly (ahem!).
Add salt.
Now add the rice with the water.
Let it boil on high heat, without covering with a lid, till 90% of the water gets evaporated.
After that lower the heat to 'low', and cover with a lid, till the rice cooks completely.
Should take 7-10 min now, but check if you think its time!

Well this is how it looked at
Zalyah's, next to LiLian's
yumm stir-fry :)

(Thanks to the foresighted photography, we have
a visual proof! )

Now what needs to go with this rice?
Any suggestions, with recipe ;)