Spiced Rice-stuffed Onions

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a baking dish with baking paper. Using a small sharp knife, cut tops from onions, then trim bases and peel. Cut into and around the centre of onions, then remove and reserve centres, leaving a 5cm-wide, 3cm-deep cavity. Place onions in prepared dish. Finely chop reserved onion centres.

Melt butter in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in cinnamon stick, cardamom, paprika and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add rice and stir to coat in onion mixture. Add 1 cup water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add cranberries, apricots and half of the pistachio, then stir to combine.

Remove cinnamon stick. Reserve 1/2 cup rice. Spoon remaining rice mixture evenly among onions. Drizzle with oil. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until onions are tender.

Spoon reserved rice on top of onions and bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes or until golden-brown. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with remaining pistachio. Serve sprinkled with coriander.