Kashmiri Pulao
Learn how to make delicious Kashmiri pulao - a flavorful and aromatic dish made with basmati rice, spices, and vegetables. Try out this traditional Indian dish today.
- 31 - 60 Minutes
- Medium
- Serves 4-6
Method
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cup Tilda Pure Basmati rice (soaked in water for 20 minutes)
- 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- 6 cloves
- 3 black cardamoms
- 1 tsp green cardamoms
- 1 tsp dry ginger powder
- 2 tsp fennel powder
- 4 pinches of saffron strands, dissolved in 1 Tbsp warm milk
- 8 Tbsp ghee, divided
- 5 cups water to cook the rice
- 2 Tbsp Salt
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cashews
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup pistachio kernels
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 Tbsp ghee
How to make Kashmiri Pulao
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Rinse basmati rice a few times in water until the water is clear of starch. Soak the rice in enough water in a bowl for 20 minutes. Later drain all the water and set the soaked rice aside.
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Heat a deep pan on medium-high heat and add 6 Tbsp of ghee. Add the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, green cardamoms, and black cardamoms. Fry for a few seconds.
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Lower the heat and add dry ginger powder and fennel powder. Mix and stir well taking care that you do not burn these ground spices.
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Add the soaked basmati rice. Mix gently and sauté for a minute.
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Now add the saffron and mix well
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Pour water and add salt as required. Stir and mix again. Check the taste of the water and it should taste a bit salty. Cover the pan tightly and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the rice grains are tender. When the rice is cooking, prepare the garnish.
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Making the garnish: Heat ½ tsp of ghee in large frying pan on low heat. Add the almonds, cashews, pistachios, and raisins for 3 minutes or until the almonds becomes crispy. Remove and set aside. Then heat the remaining ghee in a frying pan. Then add the sliced onions and sauté until they are golden brown. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel.
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To serve: Fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Take half of the fried nuts and mix with the rice. Leave the other half for the garnish. Now spread the rice on a platter and garnish it with the caramelized onions and the remaining dried fruits and pomegranate seeds.
What is Cardamom?
A variety of plants in the ginger family produce the seed pods used to make the spice cardamom. Cardamom pods are triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped. Although they contain a variety of seeds, the complete pod can be utilized whole or powdered. Little and black in hue, the seeds vary in size and color depending on the species.
Different Varieties
The two primary varieties of cardamom are black and green, with white cardamom being a bleached variation of green cardamom. The type of cardamom most frequently used in Nordic and Middle Eastern cuisine is green, although Indian and Asian recipes frequently specify whether to use green or black cardamom.
True cardamom is the green variety of the plant, Elettaria cardamom. This is the kind that is most frequently sold in the supermarket’s spice section. Although it excels in savory foods as well, it is the best option for sweet recipes. White cardamom, which has been bleached, has a milder flavor. It is cultivated in tropical regions, including Costa Rica, Malaysia, and India.
The Amomum subulatum, or black cardamom, contains bigger, dark brown pods. It has a smokey component that makes it more suitable for savory foods, but in southern India, it is often used in sweet dishes. In the eastern Himalayas, it is cultivated.
Cardamom is found in Indian cooking as well as Middle Eastern cuisine. In Indian recipes, whole cardamom pods are used in preparing basmati rice and various curries. In Middle Eastern recipes, ground cardamom spices certain desserts.
Substitutions
It will be difficult to find a true equivalent for cardamom’s distinctive flavor, but in a pinch, you can combine other warm spices to help. The important ingredient will be cinnamon, and the ideal mixture is equal parts ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Use ground ginger or ground cloves in addition to the cinnamon if you don’t have nutmeg.
Where to Buy
In the grocery store’s spice aisle, green cardamom is available as whole cardamom pods and ground cardamom. Green cardamom may typically be purchased there for a significant discount compared to the average store. It is also where black cardamom is best found.
