Shahi Pulao Recipe (Royal Indian Rice with Nuts, Saffron & Whole Spices)
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. Transfer the fried nuts to a plate.
- 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.
Do not add raisins with the almonds and cashews, as the raisins cook much faster than the almonds and cashews do.
Don’t rush this step. Properly caramelized onions are the difference between average and exceptional pulao.
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
