Rinse rice well and then soak for 15 minutes. Drain rice and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine turmeric, pepper, bay leaves, cumin seeds, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise and mace.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, melt butter. When bubbly, sauté ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic.
Add spices and rice and increase the heat. Fry the rice for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in stock and salt. Consult your package of rice to find out how much liquid to use. Bring rice to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice has fully absorbed all the liquid.
When done, remove from heat and fluff the rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro or some nuts and raisins, if desired.