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Kashmiri Pulao

Kashmiri Pulao

This Kashmiri pulao recipe is a hearty rice dish from Northern India that you will love. Long grain Basmati rice is cooked in ghee, spices, saffron, and milk and mixed with fried onions, dried and fresh fruit. Serve this fragrant pulao solo or as a side with other dishes. Most of the time if I have the optional ingredients I add otherwise I don't add them!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 306.4 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp ghee use neutral oil if vegan
  • 10 almonds skins on
  • 10 cashews optional
  • 20 raisins
  • 1 small red onion sliced fine
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • 1-2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup long-grain Basmati rice
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 10-12 strands saffron
  • 1/4 cup plain water
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp rose water
  • 1/2 cup apple peeled and diced optional
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds optional
  • 1/2 cup Pineapple optional makes it super sweet
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries optional

Instructions
 

  • Soak the saffron in warm milk and keep aside.
  • Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, drain, and keep aside.
  • Peel and dice the apple into small pieces
  • Peel and deseed the pomegranate.
  • Switch on your instant pot to sauté and add the ghee. When it melts, add the almonds and cashews. Fry to a golden-brown doneness, then remove and keep aside.
  • Cancel sauté and add the raisins. They will bloom and puff up immediately in the hot ghee. Remove them and keep aside.
  • Press sauté again and fry the onion until it is reddish-brown. Remove and keep aside.
  • Add the whole spices and fry for 30 seconds.
  • Add the rinsed rice and fry it in the ghee for a minute.
  • Cancel sauté. Add the saffron-soaked milk, water, and salt and mix well. Secure the lid and make sure the steam release vent is sealed. Press the pressure cooking button (high) and set the timer to 4 minutes.
  • When the timer beeps, wait 5 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure. Open the pot and add the rose water if using. Fluff the rice with a fork.
  • Add the fried almonds, cashews, raisins, apple, pomegranate, and fried onions. Gently mix together with the rice. Serve warm.

Notes

Use Long Grain Rice (older rice the better)
Fluff the rice with a fork after opening the pot or it will clump together if it cools down in the pot itself. 
Keyword kashmiri pulao, raisins, rice recipe