Kashmiri Pulao

Preparation :15 mins
Cook :20 mins
Total Time :651 hours 5 minutes
Servings :Makes 4 servings

Ingredients :

1 1/4 cups long grained rice (basmati)
saffron (kesar) strands
2 tsp warm milk
1 1/2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp cashewnut halves
2 tbsp almond (badam) halves
1 tbsp raisins (kismis)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 cardamom (elaichi)
3 peppercorns (kalimirch)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste
1/2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method :

Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Combine the saffron and warm milk in a small bowl, mix well and keep aside.
Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the cashewnuts, almonds and raisins and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Drain, remove the nuts and keep aside.
In the same pressure cooker, add the cumin seeds, bayleaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and fennel seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and chilli powder and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
Add the rice and salt and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add 1½ cups hot water, saffron-milk mixture and coriander, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Pressure cook it for 2 whistles.Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.Add the prepared nuts evenly over the rice.
Serve hot.