India / Main
Kashmiri Pulao
This very fancy Kashmiri pulao, or Kashmiri Pallao, is from the Northern Indian state of Kashmir. Although it is a frozen region high in the Himalayas, Kashmir lies along the ancient overland trade routes between India and Central Asia, and the cuisine is famous for using a huge assortment of nuts and dried fruits from all over Central and Western Asia.
Ingredients
- ghee, or butter3 tbsp
- cloves5
- cardamom, green4 pod
- cinnamon leaf, or substitute 2 bay leaves1
- onion, small; sliced thin1
- ginger garlic paste1 1/2 tsp
- green chilli, split lengthwise2
- salt1 pinch
- saffron3–4 strand
- milk1 tbsp
- basmati rice, or other long-grained rice; cooked and drained1/2 kg
- pitted dates, dried; sliced thin100 g
- raisins, white50 g
- cashew nuts50 g
- pistachio50 g
- almonds, blanched and diced50 g
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 12 steps
Heat ghee or butter in a large wide pan or wok.
Add the cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon tree leaf.
Add the chopped onion, and fry until it just begins to turn brown.
Add ginger-garlic paste and chillies and fry for about 1 minute before tossing in all of the dried fruits and nuts.
Add salt to taste.
Turn the flame down to low.
Soak the strands of saffron in milk, mixing until the milk turns orange.
Pour the cooked rice into the pan and sprinkle the saffron-milk on top.
Stir very carefully so as not to break or mash up the rice grains, mixing the flavourings and saffron colour in uniformly and heating the rice.
Mix in dried fruits and nuts.
Add more ghee according to your preference.
Serve with a gravy such as the basic tomato gravy.
