Kashmiri Pulao

I am back!🤗  Had to take a small break for 10 days, due to the exams 😥. Such a relief to be back💃 . Today’s dish is Kashmiri Pulao. Unlike the pulaos of South India, this is a mildly flavoured variety rice. The main actors are paneer, pineapple and pomegranate. Not to forget the co actors ghee- roasted cashews and raisins, and green peas. This dish will be a hit among kids, owing to the different colours and mild spice of the dish. Between graduation and marriage, I used to stay with one of my sisters in Chennai. And as was the norm those days, I enrolled for a computer course in an institute. In the very same institute, cookery classes were also being held. This is one among the many recipes from one of my friends from there.

This dish has a slightly sweetish tinge, because of the fruits and dry fruits that have been added. I have omitted apples, which were a part of the original recipe, as I was not sure if it would be welcomed by my kids. The saffron that we have added adds flavour to the dish. My kids prefer not-so-spicy food. So we had this with pomegranate raitha. If you want to add some spice, try it with some spicy side dish. Not sure if this dish is suited for lunch box because of the fresh fruits being added. I prefer preparing it fresh and serving it hot. Try this for lunch and tell me how it turned out! 

Preparation time: 10 minutes| Cooking time: 25 minutes
Course: Main| Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

Basmati rice- 1 cup

Water- 2 cups

Paneer -200 gms

Fresh green peas- a handful

Onion-1

Cashew nuts- 8 to 10

Raisins (dry grapes) - 8 to 10

Pineapple pieces- a handful

Pomegranate arils- a handful

Saffron- a pinch (soak in a tablespoon of warm milk)

Ghee- 2tblsp

Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp

Cinnamon- 2 sticks

Cloves- 2

Cardamom- 1

For grinding:

Garlic pearls- 4 to 5

Ginger- ½ inch piece

Green chilies- 2

Garam masala- ½ tsp

Method:

1.      Clean, wash and soak basmati rice in double the quantity of water for 15 minutes. Boil the rice with a pinch of salt and a spoon of oil. Keep it aside after it is cooked.

2.      Boil the green peas, drain the water and keep ready.

3.      Fry the paneer cubes on a tawa till brown in colour.

4.      Grind all the items given under for grinding into a smooth paste.

5.      Heat ghee in a kadai and fry the cashews and raisins. Remove from kadai and keep aside.

6.      To the same kadai add cuminseeds, cloves, cinnamon and crushed cardamom. Saute it for a few seconds.

7.      Then add the onion and fry well until golden brown. Then add the ground masala and fry well until raw smell leaves.

8.      Now add the cooked rice, boiled peas, fried paneer and salt. Mix thoroughly.

9.      Add the saffron soaked milk and give a gentle stir. Switch off flame.

10.   Garnish with fried cashews and raisins and pomogranate arils and pineapple pieces.

11.   Kashmiri pulao is ready to be served.

Notes:

·        Make sure you don’t overcook the basmati rice.

·        Don’t over fry the paneer as it might become rubbery.

·        Increase the quantity of green chili if you need more spice.

·        The actual recipe has apple also which I have avoided. If you want you can add small apple pieces along with pineapple and pomegranate arils while garnishing.

Step by step pictures

 soak the rice in double the quantity of water

for fifteen minutes.

 boil it in water with a pinch of salt

and a spoon of oil, until cooked

keep aside

 boil green peas and keep ready

 roast paneer on tawa with a little ghee

 roast till golden

 make a smooth paste of green chilies, garlic

ginger and garam masala

 add ghee to kadai and roast the cashews and 

raisins remove and keep aside

 to the same kadai add cumin seeds,cinnamon,

cloves and crushed cardamom

 add onion and fry till golden

 add the ground masala and fry

till raw smell goes away. 

 to that add the cooked rice, boiled peas 

and roasted paneer.

mix it gently

 add saffron soaked in milk

give a stir

finally garnish with 

roasted cashews and raisins

and pineapple and pomegranate arils

serve hot.