Kashmiri Chicken Pulao

I am sharing a recipe of easy and tasty Kashmiri pulao, 'Chicken Pulao'...Kashmiri Pulao is generally yellow in colour due to the presence of saffron or turmeric powder and it is rich in dry fruits and milk...There is plain variety of rice too and also addition is also added like chicken,vegetable and mutton..Now I am sharing a this pulao with boneless chicken...Its easy to prepare and taste delicious..Let us go to the recipe :)

Recipe Courtesy : Adapted from my cookbook, 'Malabar Chef

       Ingredients

        For Rice

• Basmati Rice - 3 1/2 Cups ( Soak the rice for 10 mins and drain)
• Milk - 1/2 cup 
• Water - 4 cup
• Salt - required
• Saffron - one pinch
• Bay leaf - 1 no.
• Cloves - 6 no.s
• Cinnamon - 1 small piece
• Cardamom - 5 no.s
• Star Anise - 1 no.
• Onion sliced- 1 no.
• Veg Oil - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp

       For Roasting

• Butter/Ghee - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 2 tsp
• Almonds - 2 tsp
• Walnuts - 3 tsp
• Onion,thinly sliced - 1 large

      For Chicken Masala

• Boneless Chicken - 500 gm
• Onion sliced - 2 large no.s
• Ginger paste - 1 1/2 tsp for marination + 1 1/2 tsp for masala
• Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp for marination + 1 1/2 tsp for masala
• Green Chilli paste - 1 1/2 tsp for marination + 1 1/2 tsp for masala
• Salt - to taste
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Yogurt - 2 1/2 tbsp
• White Pepper powder - 2 tbsp

      Method

        For Chicken masala

• Wash and drain the chicken and keep aside..Marinate the chicken with 1 1/2 tsp ginger,garlic and green chilli paste and rest of the ingredients as mentioned in 'For Chicken Masala' and marinate for 20 mins.

• Heat a fry pan, add vegetable oil,when heated add sliced onion sprinkled with salt and saute till translucent and add remaining ginger,garlic and chilli paste and saute till raw smell disappears..

• Add marinated chicken and salt and mix well..Close the lid and cook in a low flame for 15 to 20 mins till water oozes out..Don't add extra water..Off the flame and set aside..

         For Rice

• Add one pinch saffron strand in 1/2 cup milk and set aside for few mins..

• In a medium size non stick wide pan,add ghee/butter, when heated add almonds,cashew nuts,walnuts and raisins and saute in a low flame till light brown..Drain and keep aside..

• In a same pan, add thinly sliced onion sprinkled with salt and saute till light brown..Drain and keep aside..

• Add 1 tsp veg oil,when heated, add all the whole spices mentioned from 'bay leaf' till 'star anise' and saute it..Add sliced onion and saute till translucent..

• Add saffron soaked milk and 4 cup water and wait till it comes to boil..

• Add desired salt and few drops of lemon juice ( to prevent sticking rice to each other) and mix well..

• Add drained rice and close the lid and cook the rice at medium flame..

• When the water is about to evaporate,add chicken masala and turn the rice slowly..

• Add chopped coriander,garnish few caramelized onion and nuts and cook in a low flame for about 10 mins..

• Mix the rice and transfer it into serving dish..Decorate remaining caramelized onion and nuts on top of it..

• Serve warm..Have it with a pickle, pappad or raita of your choice

       Note:

• If you don't have saffron, don't worry..You can add pinch of turmeric powder in a boiling water before adding rice..