Saturday 27 June 2015

Shahi vegetable pulao with nawabi curry

 


Very happy to share with you all this awesomely delicious pulao with you all. Basically, myself and my hubby are a big fans of pulao. So, for me experimenting on this has become a regular and interesting task. The result of one such experiment is this dish, which has become our all time favorite lunch item.

Adding caramelized onions gives an extra taste to this pulao and I recommend you not to skip this step. If you do not have an oven, take a deep bottomed pan or vessel filled with water(1/4th of the vessel should be filled with water), immerse the vessel containing layered pulao in to this pan/vessel containing water. Cook it for 15 to 20 minutes in a slow heat.

Try and let me know your feedback.





Ingredients

For the Nawabi curry

To Grind
  • Onions - 2 nos, roughly chopped
  • Almonds- 1 tblspn
  • Cashews- 1 tblspn
  • Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  • Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
  • Ginger - 1/2 inch pc
  • Green chillies - 2
  • Kashmiri red chillies - 4 or 5
  • Cloves - 2
  • Cardamoms- 2
For the curry
  • Ghee / oil - 1 tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Tomato puree- 2 tblpsns
  • Kitchen king masala / garam masala - 1 tsp
  • Cream - 2 tblspns
  • Sugar- 2 tsp

For Shahi Pulao

  • Long grained basmati rice - 1 cup
  • Ghee - 2 tsp
  • Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
  • Cardamaom - 2 nos
  • Cloves - 3 nos
  • Star anise - 1/2
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Onion - 1 big, sliced
  • Ginger - garlic paste- 1 tblspn
  • Green chillies - 2, chopped finely
  • Mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, capsicum, cabbage, boiled green peas) - 1 cup, cut in to medium dices
  • Salt - to taste
  • Water - 1 cup
  • Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
  • Mint leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
  • Cashews - 1 tblspn, chopped
  • Almonds - 1 tblspn, chopped
  • Raisins - 1 tblspn
  • Sugar - 2 tsp
  • Cherries - 3 - 4 , chopped (Optional)
  • Pineapple - 1/4 cup, finely chopped(optional)

Caramelized onions

  • Onions - 2 big, very thinly sliced
  • Oil - 2 tsp
  • Salt - 1 tsp
  • Sugar - 2 tsp

Other ingredients

  • Milk - 1 tblspn
  • Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method

For Nawabi curry

To Grind
  • Make a smooth paste of items in the "To grind" list in the ingredients section, adding little water
For the Curry

  • Heat oil / ghee in a non-stick pan. Add the prepared paste and salt. Saute for 5 minutes until the raw smell is gone from it.
  • Now add the tomato puree and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • Add kitchen king masala, sugar and give a good mix.
  • Pour the cream and allow it to cook for  2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Nawabi curry is now ready. The curry should be in semi thick consistency. So, adjust water accordingly.

For Shahi pulao

  • Wash the rice well and soak in water for about 20 minutes.
  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. 
  • When the spices starts releasing its aroma, add the sliced onions, ginger - garlic paste, green chillies and salt. Cook till onions are translucent.
  • Add all the veggies and saute for a minute. Add coriander leaves and mint leaves.
  • Drain the water from the rice completely and add in to it. Give a proper mix
  • Pour 1 cup of water. Check for salt and adjust accordingly.
  • Pressure cook for 1 whistle and then turn off the heat.
  • Allow the pressure to release by itself and then open the pressure cooker lid. Fluff it with a fork gently to get each grain of the rice separately, which is an important factor in shahi pulao
  • Allow it to cool a bit.
  • In a non stick pan, heat ghee and fry cashews and almonds. Fry till it starts getting brown. Then add the raisins. Let it puff up a bit. Keep the flame in medium - low and add sugar. Allow it to melt.
  • Add the prepared pulao to it and mix well. Make sure not to break the rice while mixing.
  • Turn off the heat. Now add cherries and pineapple. Mix well.
  • Shahi pulao is now ready. Keep aside


Caramelized Onions

  • Heat oil in a non stick pan and add onions, salt and sugar. 
  • Keep stirring occasionally for 10 - 15 minutes until it is fried really well.
  • Turn off the heat and keep aside

How to Proceed?

  • Take a microwave safe bowl and grease it with oil or non-stick spray.
  • Start layering. Put 1/2 portion of shahi pulao. Level it with the back of your spoon.
  • Now add the prepared Nawabi curry and level it with the back of the spoon
  • Again put the remaining shahi pulao and level it.
  • Pour milk over the top. Close a microwave safe plate bake in a pre-heated oven of 180 deg C for about 15 minutes.
  • If you are using microwave, microwave it for about 6 - 10 minutes.
  • Just before serving, invert it upside down. Garnish with few caramelized onions and coriander leaves.

  • Serve hot with any of your favorite raitha.

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