Kashmiri Pulao

Okay. So Kashmiri Pulao isn’t like the typical super spicy foods that I love.

But – my god, is it wildly aromatic and a delight to eat!!

There’s something about saffron. Yes, the most expensive spice in the world – saffron that makes the food divine. And the addition of that lone ingredient makes this rice a winner.

Of course, even if don’t have saffron, you can make this delicious, mildly sweet and spicy Kashmiri Pulao. I’ve tried it a couple times and loved it. But my generous Music teacher just gave me a bunch of saffron when she heard I was gonna make this recipe sans saffron! (Thank You, Usha Aunty! ;)) And it was divine. Did I say that already? Yeah I think I did. I can’t help it. It really was D-I-V-I-N-E!

P.S: I wouldn’t say this is exactly what you get in Kashmir. It’s just tailored to suit our taste buds and use  up the ingredients I had on hand. But I’m gonna list some other ingredients in the printable recipe (below) which you may choose to use.

KASHMIRI PULAO RECIPE

I used –

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. (Or in warm water for 10-15 minutes) It helps cook the rice faster. Drain and set aside.

To a pan with high sides, heat oil and add all the whole spices – caraway seeds, black cardamom (crushed), cinnamon, cloves, fennel and bay leaves. Cook for a minute till the aroma from the spices start to come.

Add the grated ginger and garlic.

Meanwhile, in warm milk (or water), add the saffron and mix it gently

Add the drained Rice to the spices and mix well.

Add the water and saffron milk.

Add salt & Mix well

Let the mixture come to a boil. Then reduce the flame to low, cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 15-16 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it up with a fork to mix in all the spices 9without breaking the rice)

As the rice is cooking, prepare your garnish. In another pan, heat some oil & add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt.

Cook for 6-8 minutes on medium high constantly mixing to avoid burning. cook till the onions are brown & caramelized. (If you want crunchier onions, cook longer)

Do the same with the almonds, raisins & cashews. Fry them until they a golden and remove & set aside.

To serve, garnish the rice with the caramelized onions, almonds, raisins & cashews. Serve with a spicy gravy side dish.

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