Her favourite colour was pink, and her favourite food was chicken biryani.

Relations with the guards that watched over them were often tense, but at Diwali, Shanthi says an "officer with a good heart brought us a biryani".

The talk was small, about whether the biryani dish was too spicy and how the lamb was perfectly roasted.

“And like you, I always wanted to win. After I came to America too. Do you know I won a contest for making the best biryani on Pakistan Day?”

Savory rice dishes like paella, biryani or Jollof rice showcase the grain's ability to absorb and enhance savory flavors.