A fragrant and royal Mughlai rice dish, where long-grain basmati rice is cooked with the delicate aroma of saffron, whole spices, and a hint of sweetness. Garnished with fried nuts and raisins, it's perfect for celebrations.
A luxurious Mughlai curry featuring nine 'gems'—a mix of vegetables, fruits, and nuts in a rich, creamy, and mildly sweet white gravy. This festive dish is perfect for special occasions and pairs beautifully with naan or jeera rice.
A creamy, tangy, and mildly spicy curry from Hyderabad featuring large green chilies in a rich peanut, sesame, and coconut gravy. The perfect accompaniment for a flavorful biryani.
About Zafrani Pulao, Navratan Korma and Mirchi ka Salan
Aromatic Zafrani Pulao with creamy Navratan Korma & spicy Mirchi ka Salan – a perfectly spiced royal treat!
This hyderabadi dish is perfect for dinner. With 1762.08 calories and 44.52g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
55gfat
4 pods
Green Cardamoms
(Slightly crushed)
4 whole Cloves
1 inch piece Cinnamon Stick
1 whole Bay Leaf
2 tsp Sugar
1.25 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
2.75 cup Water
Instructions
1
Prepare Rice and Saffron
Rinse the basmati rice under cold running water until the water is clear. Soak the rice in ample water for 30 minutes.
While the rice soaks, combine the saffron strands and warm milk in a small bowl. Set aside to bloom for at least 15 minutes.
2
Fry Nuts and Raisins
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cashew nuts and slivered almonds, frying for 1-2 minutes until they turn a pale golden color. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same ghee, add the raisins and fry for 30-45 seconds until they plump up. Remove and keep them with the fried nuts.
3
Sauté Aromatics and Onions
To the remaining ghee in the pot, add the bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the thinly sliced onions and cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and golden brown.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another minute until its raw aroma disappears.
4
Cook the Pulao
Drain the soaked rice completely and add it to the pot. Gently toast the rice with the onions and spices for 2 minutes, being careful not to break the grains.
Pour in the water, saffron-infused milk, sugar, and salt. Stir gently just once to combine everything.
Increase the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil.
Once boiling, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let it cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
5
Rest and Serve
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but do not open the lid. Let the pulao rest and steam for another 10 minutes. This step is crucial for perfectly cooked, separate grains.
Open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Garnish with the fried nuts and raisins.
Serve hot with a side of cooling raita or a rich curry like Navratan Korma.
Servings
4
Serving size: 1 cup
511cal
14gprotein
33gcarbs
37gfat
Ingredients
1 medium Carrot (diced)
0.5 cup French Beans (chopped)
1 medium Potato (peeled and diced)
1 cup Cauliflower Florets
0.5 cup Green Peas (fresh or frozen)
150 g Paneer (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
0.25 cup Cashews (for the gravy paste, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes)
1 tbsp Poppy Seeds (soaked with cashews)
1 large Onion (roughly chopped)
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 pcs Green Chilli (slit lengthwise)
3 tbsp Ghee
2 tbsp Oil (for frying paneer and nuts)
1 pcs Bay Leaf
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
3 pcs Green Cardamom Pods
3 pcs Cloves
0.25 cup Curd (whisked until smooth)
0.25 cup Fresh Cream (heavy or whipping cream)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Kasuri Methi (crushed between palms)
1.5 cup Water (as needed for gravy consistency)
0.25 cup Pineapple Chunks (canned or fresh)
1 tbsp Raisins (for garnish)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Vegetables and Paneer (The 'Gems')
In a pot, bring water to a boil. Add the diced carrots, beans, potatoes, and cauliflower. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they are tender but still have a slight bite. Add the green peas in the last minute of cooking. Drain all vegetables and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Gently slide in the paneer cubes and shallow-fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are light golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. You can place them in a bowl of warm water to keep them soft.
In the same pan, add the 8 cashews and raisins for garnish. Fry for 30-60 seconds until the cashews are golden and the raisins plump up. Remove and set aside.
2
Create the Smooth Korma Paste
Drain the soaked cashews and poppy seeds.
In a small pot, add the chopped onion and cover with water. Boil for 5-7 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. This step removes the raw pungency. Drain thoroughly.
In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked cashews, poppy seeds, boiled onion, and green chillies. Blend into a very smooth, fine paste. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if needed to help it blend.
3
Cook the Royal Gravy
Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, and cloves. Sauté for about 30-45 seconds until they become fragrant.
200 g Bhavnagri Chilies (About 8-10 large, less spicy chilies. Banana peppers also work well.)
0.25 cup Peanuts (Raw and unsalted)
2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut (Unsweetened)
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 pcs Onion (Medium-sized, thinly sliced)
5 tbsp Vegetable Oil (Divided)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.25 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
0.5 tsp Nigella Seeds
12 pcs Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (For color and mild heat)
2 tbsp Tamarind Paste (Or soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water and extract the pulp)
1 tsp Jaggery (Grated, or use brown sugar)
1.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
2 cup Water (Warm)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare and Fry the Chilies
Wash the green chilies and pat them dry. Make a lengthwise slit on one side, keeping the stem intact. Optionally, remove the seeds for less heat.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Carefully place the chilies in the pan and shallow-fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until they develop light blisters on the skin.
Remove the fried chilies from the pan and set them aside.
2
Roast the Masala Ingredients
In the same pan (no need to add more oil), dry roast the peanuts on low heat until aromatic and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
Next, add the sesame seeds and roast for 1-2 minutes until they start to pop. Add them to the plate with the peanuts.
Add the desiccated coconut and roast for about 1 minute until it turns light golden brown. Transfer to the plate.
Finally, roast the coriander and cumin seeds together for 30-40 seconds until fragrant. Add them to the plate and let all roasted ingredients cool completely.
3
Sauté Onions and Grind the Paste
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of oil. Sauté the sliced onions over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until they turn soft and golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute until the raw smell disappears.
Lower the heat and add the prepared korma paste. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring continuously, until the paste thickens, darkens slightly, and you see ghee separating from the sides.
Stir in the coriander powder and cook for one more minute.
Turn the heat to the absolute lowest setting. Slowly pour in the whisked curd while stirring constantly and vigorously to prevent it from splitting. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the ghee starts to surface again.
Add 1.5 cups of water, salt, and sugar. Mix well and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
4
Combine and Finish the Korma
Gently add the boiled vegetables, fried paneer, and pineapple chunks to the simmering gravy.
Mix carefully to coat everything. Cover and let it simmer on low heat for 5-6 minutes, allowing the vegetables and paneer to absorb the flavors of the rich gravy.
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the fresh cream, crushed kasuri methi, and garam masala. Mix gently and cook for just one more minute. Do not let the korma boil after adding the cream.
Turn off the heat. Garnish with the fried cashews, raisins, and freshly chopped coriander leaves.
5
Serve
Serve the Navratan Korma hot with naan, roti, paratha, or jeera rice.
Let the onions cool slightly. Transfer the cooled roasted ingredients and the sautéed onions to a grinder jar.
Grind to a smooth, thick paste, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed to facilitate grinding.
4
Cook the Curry Base
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in the pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute until the raw aroma disappears.
Add the ground masala paste. Sauté on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes. The paste will thicken, darken, and oil will start to separate from the sides.
Stir in the turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder. Cook for another minute.
5
Simmer the Salan
Add the tamarind paste, grated jaggery, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Slowly pour in 2 cups of warm water, stirring continuously to create a smooth, lump-free gravy.
Bring the gravy to a gentle boil. Carefully place the fried green chilies into the gravy.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. The gravy will thicken, and you'll see a layer of oil floating on top, which indicates it's cooked perfectly.
6
Garnish and Serve
Turn off the heat. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Let the salan rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with Hyderabadi biryani, pulao, or plain steamed rice.
