Basmati rice is great. Especially if you cook it right. I've found that this recipe does me pretty well.
It's based on a recipie from a Madhur Jaffrey cookbook. Her version is much more precise.
Serves 8, takes ~40 minues
Wash the rice thoroughly. I mean it. Put it in a sieve, pour lots and lots of cold water through it, and leave it to drain while you deal with the rest of the meal. The better you do this, the better the rice will come out.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, on a medium heat. Add the garlic (chopped), and the spices and bay leaves, and fry them for about a minute.
Add the rice, and fry the rice for about two minutes. Mix it well, to try to coat all of the rice with the oil (this should be yellow from the turmeric).
Turn down the heat to a minimum, cover the saucpan, and leave to cook for about half an hour or so. Stir occasionally.