Thursday, June 11, 2009

Pulao/ Pulav

Pulav or commonly known as Pulao or Polao is again a Mughlai preparation. It is basically a sweet steamed rice preparation mixed with dry fruits and other condiments. Best goes with Mutton Korma or Mutton Curry.
Pulao has its ancestors in the Persian rice recipes and its primitive form was also well liked by Alexander the Great. Pulao is present in cuisines of almost all the East European countries and South East Asian countries it its local form. Pulao can also be made with beef, mutton and chicken in its non-vegetarian form and potato, peas and soy chunks in vegetarian form. But here we shall discuss the original Mughlai preparation.
Serves – 4
 
Difficulty Level – Easy
 
Preparation Time – 45 minutes
 
Ingredients
Gobindobhog/ badshabhog rice – 500 grams
Dahi/ Curd – 200 grams
Ginger paste – 50 grams
Sugar – 250 grams
Water – 1 liter
Garam masala – 10 grams
Green chillies – 5-6 pcs
Sa Jira/ white cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Ghee/ Clarified Butter – 200 grams
Javitri (Mace) – 50 grams
Bay leaves – 4-5 cloves
Jafran color/ kesaria color (Saffron color) – slight
Cashew Nuts – 100 grams
Raisins – 50 grams
Almonds – 25 grams
Pistachio – 25 grams
Salt – to taste
 
Method
Wash the rice with water and spread it over a newspaper. Keep it for 30 minutes to make it dry. Then mix the ginger paste, curd and the saffron color to it. Mix well.
Pour the ghee into a pressure cooker and heat it lightly. Keep the gas in simmer. Then add bay leaves, garam masala, javitri, and Sa jira.
Add the dried rice into this mixture.
Add 1 liter of water, not more than that.
When the water turns to hot, add the salt, sugar green chillies and ¾ of the cashew and raisins to the mixture. Close the lid tightly.
Before the pressure cooker starts making noise (when there is enough steam inside but it is not released yet), put off the gas burner. Keep the pressure cooker in this position for 10 minutes. It will help the rice to become soft (Dum preparation).
Open the lid. Mix them well. Add the pistachio and rest of the cashew and raisins to it. Mix them again. Close the lid.
Serve hot.
 
Tip
The amount of water is important so as to make the pulao better. The rice grains will be separated from each other.
If you like a sweeter taste, add another 1-2 tsp of sugar.
Goes well with Mutton korma and chicken curry. If you are vegetarian, you can take it with Sahi paneer.
You can find the ingredients of Garam Masalahere.

Monday, June 8, 2009

I am lately thinking putting names of some of the good e-books containing Indian recipes. Here goes one. e-book on Indian Recipes