Kashmiri Pulao – Royal Chicken & Rice

Step 1: Prepare the Pot and Fry Onions

Place a large pot on the stove and add 200 ml of cooking oil. Once hot, add 1 large sliced onion. Fry the onions until they are light brown, ensuring not to over-darken them to maintain a bright pulao color.

Step 2: Add and Sear Chicken

Once onions are light brown, add 1 kg of chicken pieces to the pot. Stir well to coat the chicken with the onions and oil, searing it until it changes color and is lightly browned on all sides.

Step 3: Add Aromatics

Add 2-4 slices of ginger and 5-6 whole garlic cloves to the chicken. Stir and sauté for a few minutes to infuse their aroma.

Step 4: Add Whole Spices and Initial Salt

Add 5 green cardamom pods, 4 black cardamom pods, 5 teaspoons of fennel seeds, and 2 teaspoons of salt to the pot. Mix thoroughly with the chicken and aromatics.

Step 5: Add Water for Broth

Pour 1.75 liters of water into the pot. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 6: Simmer for Broth

Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for approximately 5 minutes. This allows the flavors from the chicken, bones, and spices to fully infuse into the broth.

Step 7: Strain Broth and Separate Chicken

Turn off the heat. Carefully lift the chicken pieces and set them aside on a plate. Place a strainer over another pot and carefully pour the entire contents of the first pot through the strainer to separate the broth from the remaining solids (onions, spices, etc.). Press the solids to extract all liquid.

Step 8: Return Broth and Chicken to Pot

Place the clean pot back on the stove. Pour the strained broth back into the pot. Add the separated chicken pieces back into the broth.

Step 9: Adjust Salt and Add Soaked Rice

Add an additional 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) to the broth. Increase the heat to bring the broth to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 kg of basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes and drained) to the pot. Gently stir to distribute the rice evenly.

Step 10: Prepare Dry Fruit Tempering

While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a small frying pan. Add 15 grams of almonds, 15 grams of cashews, 15 grams of black raisins, 10 grams of pistachios, and 10-15 grams of sliced coconut flakes. Fry them over medium heat until they are lightly golden and the raisins puff up. Turn off the heat.

Step 11: Add Tempering to Pulao

Once most of the water has evaporated from the rice, evenly spread the prepared dry fruit tempering over the rice.

Step 12: Dum Cook the Pulao

Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Reduce the heat to very low and let the pulao cook on dum (steam) for 20-25 minutes.

Step 13: Serve Kashmiri Pulao

After 20-25 minutes, turn off the heat and let the pulao rest for a few minutes before opening the lid. Gently fluff the rice with a spatula. Serve the fragrant Kashmiri Pulao hot on a platter, ensuring each serving gets chicken pieces and dry fruits.

• Do not over-fry the onions; keep them light brown to ensure a bright, appealing color for the pulao.

• Allow sufficient time for the chicken broth to simmer, as this is crucial for extracting maximum flavor into the rice.

• Adjust salt to taste, especially after adding the rice, to achieve perfect seasoning.

• Fry dry fruits until slightly crispy and puffed up, but be careful not to burn them.

• Add a pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk for an extra layer of aroma and color.

• Use mutton instead of chicken for a richer, more traditional Kashmiri Pulao.

• Experiment with different combinations of dry fruits like walnuts or pine nuts.