pakistani pulao

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Sister Nomee thats not fair , you did'nt invite me for lunch or dinner. I will complaint to your brother.

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

No offence sister Nomee, but that's it?? In Ramadan I took the recipe (chicken pulau) from my nani and that has lot's more ingredients. Sisters read and learn from a brother ;D:

Chicken pulau

Preparations: leave 1 pound of basmati rice to soak for about 30 minutes (otherwise your pulau wil not be pulau; I don't taste the difference but if an expert like nani says so, can't argue with that). Don't put too much water to soak (1&half cup).

Recipe: Fry onion rings in oil and butter (yes I never knew you could combine oil and butter together). You will add the fried onion rings in the end when you serve the pulau.

In the same oil with butter you just used... first put jirra (=cumminseed), 3 cinnamon sticks, couple of cloves and some elaichi (=cardemonseed). Now, make pulp of ginger, garlic, onion and peper. Add the pulp in the pan.

Add tomato puree (not too much).

Now if you see the oil comming above the tomato puree, it's time to put the chicken together with chopped denya (coriander), gharam masala, salt and pepper.

[Note that the coriander is very important for the aroma (so don't miss it)! The secret of my nani's pulau is that she makes her own gharam masala (yes, she even knows how to do that and I don't; luckily she gave me some of it ;D; I love homemade things). What I discovered not long ago is that the pepper Pakistanis and Turks know is different from the pepper I know. The ones you know, isn't hot at all! I can eat them just raw without getting 'burned' (I used to think it was just thin paprika). Anyway for this recipe use the Pakistani pepper. Also one thing about making the chicken ready: don't add water, just let the chicked cook on low heat in it's own water/fat (otherwise you'll loose aroma)].

Now, remember you were soaking the basmati rice? Oke, don't throw the water away! You will throw the aroma away! Catch the water (ca. 1&half cup). Don't put this water yet in the pan! First bring it to boil (in the microwave for example) and then add it to the done chicken. If you add the water just like that (cold), you will get a different taste (I don't taste the difference but if nani says, can't...).

If you've added the water let it boil 10 minutes then put the (drained) basmati rice in the pan until it's cooked.

[Note that you have to use a big pan otherwise you will break the rice grains so don't turn around the rice but gently move].

After the basmati rice is cooked, put the fried onion rings and again chopped denya on top. Now wrap the lid in a towel. This is because you want the pulau to be dry. If you just leave the pan open for the water to escape you will loose aroma! By using the towel you keep the aroma while the water absorbes into the towel. Keep the towel for about 20 minutes (low heat). This finishing touch is important. Otherwise it won't be pulau!

Have an aromatic pulau!

Wassalamu 'alaykum

ps. I wrote this in my lunch break, you have to try it! And I'm sorry about the proper amount of ingredients. My nani would say half tin tomato etc so not really accurate. A little feeling is involved...

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

will try this one too brother haarith as it sounds so tasty.

no offence but the recipe was give by a sister not a brother as you just passed it on

also your second pic of the pepper you know isn't working so now i'm confused as to what you call a pepper.

i can't believe you can our kind of pepper raw as they're soooooo spicy i'd have tummy ache for a week.

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

are the peppers your talking about those really little ones that look a bit like capsicum?

i didn't know that they were very spicy i always thought that the asian pepper was the spiciest except for those jalapeno things coz they are spicy too (i steer clear of all peppers)