My ex would, while the water was coming to a boil, put some ghee in a
small cast iron skillet, add some cumin and once whole cardi pod, some
very thinly sliced onions, and cook the whole mess until the onions were
good and brown. He'd add that to the cooking rice, and it would float at
the top, landing attractively on the surface when the rice was done.
Madhur Jaffrey has a nice version with chopped dill weed, which she said
mimincked an herb from her childhood, and the stuff is baked in the
oven. I can't remember where I stashed that recipe....I believe it was
from a cooking show where she was a guest of J. Childs.
HTH
blacksalt