Nutty and Aromatic Sweet Pulao

This rice preparation needs a very hot and spicy curry to go with it.My family’s choice, of course, is mutton curry.

Serves 5

Ingredients

1.Basmati rice(washed and drained over a sieve)                                                                        -2 cups

2.Water                                                                   – 4  cups

3.Dry fruits (cashews,almonds,walnuts,pecans) -2 tbsp  each sliced very thin

4.Pistachios(soaked in water for 2 hrs and coats removed)                                                       – 2 tbsp

5.Raisins,cranberries                                            – 2 tbsp each

6.Carrot(very finely chopped )                           – 2 tbsp

7.Green peas( blanched)                                      – 2 tbsp

8..Nutmeg powder                                                 – 1/2 tsp

9.Ghee or clarified butter                                     – 4 tbsp

10.Turmeric powder                                               – 2 tsps

11.Stock or Yakhni.

Procedure

To make Stock or Yakhni we need quite a few ingredients all tied together in a big muslin cloth and soaked in water overnight. Then,cooked in a pan covered with lid or a pressure cooker for at least half an hour.Let it cool.Ingredients to make the stock are as follows:

1. 2 inch piece of ginger,
2. 1 cinnamon stick,
3. 6 cloves,
4. 3 green cardamoms,
5. 1 black cardamom,
6. 2 bayleaves,
7. 2 whole red chillies,
8. 2 whole green chillies,
9. 2 tbsp each of cumin seeds and coriander seeds,
10. 4-6 strands of saffron,
11. 2 whole star anise,
12. 1 tbsp of whole black peppercorns.

Tie them in a muslin cloth .Soak it in 4 cups of water overnight.

Then,transfer this into a pressure cooker or a pan with a lid. 

Add 2 tsp of salt and 4 tsps of sugar to it.

Cook for at least half an hour or three whistles in a pressure cooker.Let it cool.

Then squish the muslin bag in the cooked liquid to get out the goodness of every bit of aromatics.Strain the liquid into the rice cooker.

Procedure

1.Wash rice and keep it in a strainer.Add turmeric powder to the rice .Gently massage this, so that every grain of rice acquires the bright yellow colour.(You can use gloves to avoid staining of hands).Keep this aside.

2 Take 2 tbsps of ghee in pan .Add nutmeg powder and then add rice to it.Fry on high heat till each and every grain of rice gets coated with ghee.Transfer this to the rice cooker and let it cook.

3 Take 2 tbsp ghee in the same pan.Fry all the dry fruits and vegetables one by one and keep the fried ones in a bowl.

4.As soon as the rice is cooked,add all the fried ingredients to it and mix them gently with a fork.

5.Put the lid on and let it rest for a while. Serve with hot and spicy mutton curry.(coming up next)