Kashmiri Pulao

India is a diverse country. It is rich in culture and cuisines. There is a famous Hindi saying – ‘Kos kos pe paddle baani, chaar kos pe paani’ which literally translates into ‘taste of water changes at every corner and people’s dialect changes at every 4 corners’. That is so true about India.

Talking about cuisines, every state has its own cooking style. Sometimes, there are so many variations within a state’s boundaries. Cuisines of a state have arisen from what’s grown locally and suit the weather of that place.

Kashmiris, for example, experience cool to cold weather and eat a variety of rich food. I love a lot of things about their food and my favorite ones are Kashmiri Dum Aloo and Kashmiri Pulao.

Kashmiri Pulao is made in ghee and gets a lot of richness from a lot of roasted dry fruits. In addition to that, the addition of locally available fruits gives it a sweet flavor. Here is my version, hope you like it.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15-20 minutes
SERVINGS: 2
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Low

INGREDIENTS: 

1. Basmati Rice – 1 bowl
2. Clarified Butter/Ghee – 3-4 tablespoons
3. Caraway seeds/Shahi jeera – 1 teaspoon
4. Bay leaf/Tej Patta – 2
5. Cloves/Laung – 3-4
6. Cinnamon/Dalchini – 1 stick
7. Black Cardamom/Badi elaichi – 1
8. Green Cardamom/Choti elaichi – 2-3
9. Star Anise – 1
10. Onion – 1 large
11. Cashews/kaju – 10-12
12. Almonds/Badam – 10
13. Raisins – Kishmish – 10-12
14. Pomegranate/Anar – ½ cup
15. Apple – ½
16. Saffron/Kesar – few strands
17. Milk – 3-4 tablespoons
18. Salt – to taste

UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT:

1. Pressure Cooker
2. Small frying pan
3. Pestle

RECIPE:

1. Nicely wash the rice and keep them soaked in water for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoons of ghee and allow it to get hot.
3. Crush the cardamoms with a pestle and add it to the ghee.
4. Add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, and caraway seeds as well.
5. Once the spices get nice and fragrant, add in the soaked rice and salt.
6. Add in the same quantity of water as the rice and close the lid of the cooker.
7. Place it on high heat till one whistle comes and then on low heat for another minute or so.
8. Chop the onion into thin and long strands.
9. Take a small frying pan and add 2 tablespoons of ghee into it.
10. Add in the onions and fry them till they are golden brown.
11. Then shallow fry the cashews, almonds, and raisins too till turn crisp.
12. Take a few strands of saffron in a small bowl and mix them with lukewarm milk.
13. Once the steam from the pressure cooker is released, sprinkle the saffron-infused milk.
14. Cut an apple into small pieces and place them on the rice.
15. Add a few pomegranate seeds and the fried dry fruits and onion.
16. Serve this fragrant rice with a pomegranate or cucumber raita.