Shahi Pulao Recipe
Made using nuts, whole spices, yogurt, and onions, this Shahi Pulao is a perfect addition to your festive or special meals. Here is how to make it.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 8-10 almonds
- 8-10 cashews
- 8-10 raisins
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 cloves (laung)
- 1 star anise (chakri phool)
- 2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
- 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- ½ cup sliced onions
- ¼ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) whisked
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons crispy fried onion (birista)
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- ¼ cup green peas
- ¼ cup cubed carrots
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon kewda essence or 1 teaspoon kewda water
- 1 pinch saffron soaked in 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Wash the rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes. Soaking makes the rice cook faster, and the grains are separate once cooked.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add 8-10 almonds and 8-10 cashew nuts and fry until browned.
- Add 8-10 raisins, and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Remove on a plate.
- Tip: Do not add raisins with the almonds and cashews, as the raisins cook much faster than the almonds and cashews do.
- Add cumin seeds, cloves, star anise, cardamoms, bay leaf, and cinnamon, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Now add yogurt, garam masala powder, crispy fried onions, mint, cilantro, peas, carrot, salt, and kewda essence and mix well.
- Add the soaked rice, 2 cups of water, saffron soaked in milk, and fried nuts, and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan and cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is evaporated.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the pulao using a fork and serve hot.
Video
Notes
If you do not have kewda essence, add a little rose water for the rich flavor.
I prefer to use both ghee and oil, but you can make it only ghee, too.
Nutrition
Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 615mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1431IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
