Red Rice with Almonds, Raisins and Fried Onions

Fragrant with spices, tinted rust red with umami-rich tomato paste, and full of texture and layers of flavor, this is our adaptation of an Iraqi rice dish from “The Kitchen Without Borders” by Eat Offbeat, a New York catering company that creates jobs for immigrants and former refugees. The spicing comes from a Middle Eastern spice blend called baharat, or sabaa baharat, that varies from producer to producer, but typically includes black pepper, cumin and a mixture of warm spices. Look for it in spice shops and well-stocked grocery stores. If it’s not available, use 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon each ground cardamom and ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground allspice and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.