Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao

Believe it or not, this recipe is taken from a Hindi movie. Really!! When watching the movie "Cheeni Kum", the other day, Amitabh Bachchan (who acts as Chef in this movie) mentions this recipe in one of his dialogues. Every time Amitabh Bachchan said “Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao” my stomach drooled and wanted to have it. I was very keen to try out this recipe. So today, at last I tried it; And to my delight it came out good. Zafrani is commonly known as Saffron. Usually Zafrani pulao is sweet, but this "Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao" is the savory dish. I researched about this dish on the Internet and found that this very dish was considered to be a delicacy of the Nawabs (the Royals of the South) in India. This recipe has a very rich ingredients and with a rich aroma. Enjoy it!!

I re-posting this recipe for the JFI for Rice hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam. Thanks for organizing such a wonderful event on Rice. This is my entry for rice.

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

450 gm (2 cups) basmati rice
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 inch stick cinnamon
1-2 cardamoms (elaichi)
2-3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1"(25mm) ginger
2 cloves of garlic (optional)
pinch of saffron strands
10 tsp milk
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp sour curd
50 gm (1/2 cup) slivered almonds
25 gm green raisins or sultanas
4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Soak saffron in 2 tablespoon of warm milk for few minutes.

2. Meanwhile rinse rice and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes in a pan.

3. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan. Add cumin seeds when they crackle, add onion and all the spices(cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon), ginger and garlic except saffron to the hot ghee. Stir-fry until the onion turns golden brown.

4. Add almonds, raisins and well-drained rice, chilli powder, milk and sour curd, stir-fry for a further 5 minutes.

5. Pour water into the rice, It should be just the right quantity - one inch above the rice level.

6. Add the salt and saffron, stir well and bring to the boil.

7. Reduce heat, cover the pan tightly and cook on slow fire for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and fluffy and the water is absorbed.
8. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve immediately.

Note: Rice and water ratio is 1:2 so use accordingly.

Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao

Believe it or not, this recipe is taken from a Hindi movie. Really!! When watching the movie "Cheeni Kum", the other day, Amitabh Bachchan (who acts as Chef in this movie) mentions this recipe in one of his dialogues. Every time Amitabh Bachchan said “Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao” my stomach drooled and wanted to have it. I was very keen to try out this recipe. So today, at last I tried it; And to my delight it came out good. Zafrani is commonly known as Saffron. Usually Zafrani pulao is sweet, but this "Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao" is the savory dish. I researched about this dish on the Internet and found that this very dish was considered to be a delicacy of the Nawabs (the Royals of the South) in India. This recipe has a very rich ingredients and with a rich aroma. Enjoy it!!

I posting this recipe for the Jihva for Rice hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam. Thanks for organizing such a wonderful event on Rice. This is my entry for rice.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
450 gm (2 cups) basmati rice

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tablespoons ghee

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

1 inch stick cinnamon

1-2 cardamoms (elaichi)

2-3 cloves

1 bay leaf

1"(25mm) ginger

2 cloves of garlic (optional)

pinch of saffron strands

10 tsp milk

2 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp sour curd

50 gm (1/2 cup) slivered almonds

25 gm green raisins or sultanas

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
1. Soak saffron in 2 tablespoon of warm milk for few minutes.
2. Meanwhile rinse rice and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes in a pan.
3. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan. Add cumin seeds when they crackle, add onion and all the spices(cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon), ginger and garlic except saffron to the hot ghee. Stir-fry until the onion turns golden brown.
4. Add almonds, raisins and well-drained rice, chilli powder, milk and sour curd, stir-fry for a further 5 minutes.
5. Pour water into the rice, It should be just the right quantity - one inch above the rice level.
6. Add the salt and saffron, stir well and bring to the boil.
7. Reduce heat, cover the pan tightly and cook on slow fire for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and fluffy and the water is absorbed.

8. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve immediately.

Note: Rice and water ratio is 1:2 so use accordingly.

Lemon rice

This is an quick and easy receipe which you can make with left over rice.

Preparations time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups basamati rice

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)

pinch asafoetida(hing)

2 tsp urad dal

6-7 green chilli

1 inch (25mm) ginger

6-7 piece curry leaves

5-6 tbsp lemon juice

Pinch of tumeric powder

salt to taste

2 tbsp Indian butter(Ghee)

For the Garnish:

Chopped corainder leaves

Method:

1. Wash and cook the rice with 4 cups of water. Cook it in pressure cooker (wait for 1-2 whistles and then switch off the gas). You can also cook it in a pan or do microwave cooking just the same way as you cook ordinary rice.Once the rice is cooked, keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan or a kadai.

3. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, when they start to crackle

4. Add pinch of asafoetida, urad dal, green chilli, curry leaves and ginger. Saute for few minutes.

5. Add pinch of tumeric powder and rice and mix it well.

6. Add salt to taste and lemon juice. Mix well very gently so that the rice grains does not break.

7. Garnish with chopped corainder leaves.

8. Serve hot with chips or papad

Bisibela Bhat

Bisibela Bhat is a south indian delicacy. It contains rice, dal (lentils) and vegetables mixed together for an awesome combination. You can serve this dish with raita or plain curd on the side. It is a perfect combination of hot and cold.

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup vegetable, chopped and boiled (carrots, potatoes, peas and beans)
1 1/2 cup raw rice
1/2 cup toor dal (http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html)
Tamarind Size of a small lime
1 big tomato, chopped
4 green chilli, finely chopped
1 inch (25mm) of ginger, chopped
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds (jeera)
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp corainder powder (dhania)
2 tsp sambar powder
1 tsp of bisibela bhat powder (optional)
pinch of tumeric powder
6-8 curry leaves
4-5 piece of drumstick
1 cup of water
1 tbsp of ghee

Method:
1. Wash rice and dal. Place in the containers with 2 1/2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder . Cook in a pressure cooker till the rice and dal is done.
2. Soak tamarind in a little water and extract juice.
3. Heat little ghee, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
4. When the mustard seeds and cumin seeds crackles add curry leaves, pinch of asafoetida, ginger and green chillies.
5. Add onions fry them till they are translucent.
6. Add drumstick and tomatoes and fry for few minutes.
7. Add vegetables and fry them for few more minutes.
8. Then add red chilli powder, corainder powder, tumeric powder, sambar powder and salt to taste. Mix well.
9. Add the tamarind pulp and cook for some time till the raw smell of masala is gone.
10. Add rice to the mixture and 1 cup of water. Mix well and cook it for few minutes.
11. Mix well. Remove from fire. If you like ghee, add just before serving.
12. Serve with onion raita and papad.