Simple Plain Pulao

This is a very popular dish in India. I have tried this very simple version, wherein you do not need too many ingredients, and mostly all is present in your kitchen. It is tasty and simple to make too. Hope you make this for your family. They will surely like this.

• Servings: 3-4
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1. 1. 4 cups of Rice
   2. 8 cups of Water
   3. Salt to taste
   4. 1 -2  Star Anise
   5. 1/2 inch piece of Cinnamon
   6. 1-2 Cloves
   7. 1 – 2 Green Cardamon
   8. 2 small Bay Leaves
   9. A small flower of nutmace
   10. Cashew and Kismis as per your imagination
   11. 50 gms Ghee
   12. 2 – 3 tablespoon of oil
   13. 1 medium sized onions
   14. 3 green chillies slited
   15. 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste
   16. 1 tsp of sugar
   17.  Yellow food colour (optional)
   18. Meetha attar (optional)

Preparations before cooking :

1. Prick rice clean. Wash thoroughly. Soak for 15 – 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Slice onions and julienne the carrots.
3. Wash and drain the cashew and kismis.

Method :

• 1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker.. Add ghee into this. Fry the cashew and kismis over low heat and remove from oil. Drain.
  2. In oil, add the whole spices. Add in the onion. As it becomes translucent, add the sugar and continue frying till slightly brown.
  3. Add in the green chillies and allow it to fry a bit.Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry will the raw smell disappears.
  4. Add the drained rice. Fry well so that each rice gets coated with oil and ghee. Add in required amount of salt. keep it on the lower side at this stage, and mix in well.
  5. In the meantime, take a thick bottomed pan. Add the measured quantity of water and bring to boil.
  6. Pour in the boiling water and cover with any lid.
  7.  Mix food colour, attar with a tsp of water.
  8. Once the water is totally absorbed, pour the colour mixture in circular motion over the rice and close with the pressure cooker lid with the weight on. Flame should be now low.  Wait for a few minutes. As steam starts accumulating and you can just hear through the weight, switch off the gas and wait for the steam to be released. Open the cooker and mix the rice well. Make sure to be very feathery but reach the bottom of the pan while mixing.
  9.  Let it sit for about half an hour before serving. Sprinkle the fried cashews and raisins.
  10. Serve hot with a any dish, Veg or Non veg , raitha and pickle. It goes very well with tandoori chicken and onion lemon salad.

N.B. :

If you are using the tradional indian cooking method wherein  you use coal or wood as fuel, you can do this in any vessel . Remove the heat from beneath and take some still burning charcoal(“kanal” in Malayalam) and put them on the closed lid. This is done when we allow the steam to collect in the cooker. This acts like a dum and makes the rice perfect and tastier.

Also, if you want, you can deep fry a onion sliced thinly and use this beresta for decoration. Sprinkle it on top along with the cashew and kismis.