Pulao Recipes

INDIAN RICE (PULAO)

Steps:

• Place saffron threads into boiling water, set aside to steep.
• Melt the vegetable shortening in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, cumin, garlic powder, and cardamom seeds. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes to release the flavor, stirring constantly.
• Pour in the rice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the yogurt, saffron water, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot with a cloth folded into 4 layers. Place a lid over the cloth and cook until the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom seeds before serving.

PULAO

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water running under the sieve looks clear. Soak the rice in water in a medium bowl for 15 to 20 minutes - close to the time it'll take for you to assemble the other ingredients and cut the vegetables. Drain the rice, ensuring there isn't any excess water dripping off the grains (this will result in mushy pulao).
• In a medium Dutch oven, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and once they start to brown and dance around in the oil, about a minute, turn the heat down to low and add the remainder of the spices (black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, turmeric). Cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant, turn the heat back up to medium and add the vegetables and rice. Toss to coat everything in the oil and spices, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the salt and 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes (if your burner is small, this could be more like 20 minutes). Then, remove from the heat and let the pulao sit, undisturbed and still covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently mix. Serve with papad, yogurt and achaar or simply drizzle with ghee.

AFGHANI KABLI PULAO

Steps:

• Soak the rice in cool water for 5 minutes. Rinse until water runs clear.
• Place 4 cardamom pods on a cutting board and lightly crush using the flat side of a knife; transfer to a pressure cooker. Add halved onion, garlic head, 4 cloves, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin seed, salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, paprika, and coriander seeds. Pour in water to cover.
• Seal pressure cooker lid and turn heat to high. Cook until pressure cooker whistles once, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Wait for 2 more whistles, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes.
• Strain broth into a bowl. Clean out the pressure cooker and heat it over medium heat. Add oil and chopped onion; cook and stir until softened and browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add carrots; cook until soft, about 3 minutes more. Add raisins, almonds, and strained rice. Add remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seed, and remaining clove.
• Crush remaining cardamom seed to a powder and add to the pressure cooker. Mix to combine; pour in enough broth to cover the rice.
• Increase heat to high and seal the pressure cooker. Cook until the first whistle, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let rest for 7 minutes; release the pressure naturally, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked rice to a serving dish immediately to prevent overcooking.

VEGETABLE PULAO

Steps:

• Rinse and drain rice 3 times. Place rice in a bowl and pour in enough water to cover; set aside to soak.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir onion, ginger, cumin seeds, fenugreek, and turmeric until onion just begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook and stir until onions are browned, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Drain rice and mix into onion mixture; cook and stir until rice is dry and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir peas, carrot, green beans, and cauliflower into rice mixture; pour in broth. Cover saucepan and bring liquid to a rapid boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and fluff rice with a fork. Stir cilantro into rice, return lid, and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.