Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 3 Tbsp Ghee Divided into half to add in the final step.
- 4 no Green Cardamom Pods
- ½ piece Mace
- 1/8 tsp Ground Mace
- 2 no Bay Leaves
- ½ inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 no Large Red Onion thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp Curd or Yoghurt Yogurt
- 5 no Green Chillies slit
- 1 no Lemon
- 2 Tbsp Chicken Masala
- 10-15 no Fresh Mint Leaves chopped
- 2 ½ Tbsp Table Salt adjust to taste
- 500 ml Hot Boiling Water
- 300 gm Chicken cut into pieces
- 8-10 strands Saffron Optional
- 50 ml Milk
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- Begin by washing and patting the chicken dry.
- Marinate it with ginger-garlic paste, salt, curd, chicken masala, and chopped mint leaves. Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour to enhance its flavors.
Prep the Rice:
- Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes to ensure it cooks evenly. After soaking, thoroughly drain the rice and set it aside.
Cooking the Base:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a thick-bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add the whole spices—green cardamom, mace, bay leaves, and cinnamon—and sauté until they start to release their aroma.
- Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn golden brown.
Adding the Chicken:
- In the pan, add the marinated chicken. Cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame until the chicken is slightly browned.
Incorporate Rice and Water:
- Add the drained rice, spreading it evenly.
- Pour the hot boiling water into the pan and bring it to a boil.
- Increase the flame to high and cook until most of the water has evaporated.
Final Cooking Steps:
- Reduce the flame to low. Pour the remaining tablespoon of ghee over the rice.
- If using, soak saffron strands in warm milk and then evenly pour over the rice.
Dum Cooking:
- Seal the lid of the vessel with dough to trap the steam inside, ensuring a perfect dum (steam-cooked) process.
- Cook the pulao on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it rest for another 10-15 minutes. This allows the rice to cook perfectly in the steam.
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