If I invite friends over to indulge in Indian food, I invariably think about making a biryani. Layers of rich curry with saffron infused rice elevates a simple rice dish to something spectacular. It requires a little patience and work, but all that effort is well rewarded when friends seem suitably impressed. One time I sprinkled a few drops of rose water over the top and decorated it with vivid orange marigold and delicate, pale pink rose petals. It looked precious, but Neil complained that it tasted a bit like a Mr Kipling's cake.
Whatever measures and time I have taken in the past with biryani was nothing compared to how long this dish took me to compile and cook. Taken from a interesting looking book found in a used book shop, I assumed that it would be simple, (all the other recipes seemed easy). Not so. This is a labour of love, but, it is quite possibly the best rice dish I have ever eaten. The rice itself takes on the most fragrant and flavourful taste from the whole spices used during the boiling. That alone is enough to make it special. Add the layers of crisp fried onion, toasted pistachios, cashews and almonds, not to mention tomato and boiled egg sprinkled with garam masala and chili powder and you can tell that this dish is something else altogether. The rice is washed and soaked for 30 minutes prior to cooking, which means the starch is almost all removed, resulting in fluffy, separated grains and a cooking time of only 5 - 7 minutes. If you find yourself bored on a rainy afternoon, you could have a crack at this. The recipe would easily serve 10 people, which means I was able to bag up several portions for use at another time.
Recipe : Savoury pulau with nuts
Taken from Indian Vegetarian Cookery by Jack Santa Maria
For the rice
1.5 cups rice
2 tbsp ghee
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
6 cloves
4 green cardamoms
1 inch piece of cinnamon
2 green chilies, chopped finely
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
a few strands of saffron
Place the rice in a jug or bowl and rinse with cold water until the water becomes clear. Cover with more water and let soak for 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until golden brown. Add the black pepper, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and chili peppers and stir. Drain the rice and add also.
Stir in the salt, ground cumin and ginger and fry until the rice is opaque and the spices fragrant.
Add 3 cups of water, the bay leaf and saffron, bring to the boil and then simmer gently until the rice is soft and all the water has evaporated, (about 7 minutes - keep your eye on it, stir once to prevent sticking but don't disturb too much).
To mix with the cooked rice
1/3 cup cooked peas
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
Mix with the rice, stirring in very gently
The garnish
2 onions, sliced
2 tbsp ghee
a handful each of almonds, cashews and pistachios
1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp sultanas
2 green chilies, finely chopped
2 hard boiled eggs
4 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium - high heat and fry the onions until golden and caramelized. Stir in the nuts, ginger, sultanas and chili peppers and fry for a few minutes to lightly toast.
Quarter the eggs and sprinkle with a little salt, paprika and garam masala.
To assemble
Lay one third of the garnish into a large serving dish. Add 2 egg quarters on top and then layer with one third of the rice. Continue layering with garnish, eggs and rice until all is used, finishing with a layer of rice on top. Sprinkle the whole thing with the chopped coriander and either serve immediately or let cool, refrigerate and re-heat when ready, as I did. The book recommends serving with a curry, but this is good enough to scoff alone with nothing but your appetite.
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