I love beriani, which is really nothing more than spiced rice - if only it was not so high in fat. Cooked usually with chicken or mutton, the fat from the meat seeps into the rice, making it truly delicious but also making it a dish to only occasionally enjoy.

But what if I told you that you could cook a beriani that still has the taste, fragrance and spiciness of the original and yet without its attendant fat?

You can, with a fish or vegetable beriani where fish or an assortment of vegetables like bell pepper, pumpkin, zucchini and brinjal replace the meat found in the pot.

And I cook it in a rice cooker, making it even simpler to turn out whenever I yearn for beriani.

It is a hankering rooted in my childhood when a family treat could be an outing to the old Jubilee or Islamic shophouse restaurants in North Bridge Road. Here you dine under swirling fans in the upstairs dining room and hear your orders being shouted to the downstairs staff.

Platters of the saffron-coloured rice, rich with spices and fragrant with grease, would then be placed before you to enjoy with virulent-coloured pickles and tomato-sauced cucumber slices for crunch.

Those were the days when the word cholesterol was not in our vocabulary and we ate dangerously but oh, so well. But never mind, the same flavours are found in this version, still tasty but so much less lethal.

I use vegetable oil to brown both the spice paste for the fish (or vegetables) and the rice grains, and low-fat yogurt to add creaminess to the curry.

The fish is even cooked with the rice as you would do with authentic dum beriani and not just placed on top at the end of cooking, though admittedly the latter is more convenient.

Do not forget the fried shallots that garnish the rice. Despite the extra fat, they give a welcome crunch and fragrance to the rice.

So, too, the whole spices of cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves, rose water and saffron threads which all help to scent the rice - an important part of eating beriani after all.

In this dish, more than others, the bouquet is as important as the taste, reinforcing the food memory long after you have eaten it.

FISH BERIANI (FOR 6)

Fish:
1 Tbs vegetable oil1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 thumb-size length of ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp salt
6-7 batang fish steaks
4 Tbs yogurt

Rice:
4 cups Basmati rice
1 Tbs oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 thumb-size length ginger, smashed
5 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
5cm stick cinnamon
5 cardamoms
5-6 cloves
1 tsp saffron threads
Sprinkling of rose essence
1 tsp salt
4 cups unsalted stock or water

Garnish:
Fried shallots
Fresh coriander leaves

Method:
Fish: Heat oil in a wok and brown the chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Add a little water to the spice powders to make a paste and fry over a moderate fire till fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and cook till softened. Add salt and yogurt. Remove from the fire. Toss the fish steaks in this spiced paste and remove from the wok. Reserve any leftover oil to flavour the rice.

Rice: Wash and drain the rice. Heat oil in a wok. Fry ginger, garlic and shallots till light brown. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms.

When fragrance rises, add the reserved oil and rice grains. Continue to fry till grains absorb the oil.

Transfer half of the rice grains to the rice cooker. Place fish and spices on top of the rice. Cover with the rest of the rice.

Pour stock over the rice. Add salt, saffron threads and a sprinkling of rose water.

Set rice cooker programme for white rice and cook till the cooker beeps. Open the lid and get a whiff of appetising smells.

Your nasi beriani should be fragrant and fluffy. Garnish with fried shallots and fresh coriander leaves and serve.