Kashmiri Chicken Pulao

1. 1
   prep · ~20 min

   Soak the rice and saffron.

   1.Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear.

   2.Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes, then drain well.

   3.Soak the saffron in warm milk and set aside.

   TIPDrained rice gives separate grains later, so do not let it sit in water longer than needed.
2. 2
   saute · ~9 min

   Brown the onions and nuts.

   1.Heat the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat.

   2.Add the sliced onion and cook until light golden, 7 to 8 minutes.

   3.Add the almonds, cashews, and raisins and cook for 1 minute.

   4.Scoop out half the onion-nut mixture and keep it aside for the final garnish.

   TIPKeep the onions light golden, not dark brown, so the pulao stays delicate and mildly sweet.
3. 3
   saute · ~2 min

   Cook the whole spices and aromatics.

   1.Add the cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cumin seeds, and black pepper to the pot.

   2.Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

   3.Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
4. 4
   saute · ~10 min

   Cook the chicken with yogurt and spices.

   1.Add the chicken pieces and cook until they lose their raw color, 4 to 5 minutes.

   2.Lower the heat and stir in the yogurt.

   3.Add the fennel powder, dry ginger powder, garam masala, and salt.

   4.Cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the chicken is coated and the yogurt looks smooth.

   TIPLower the heat before adding yogurt so it does not split.
5. 5
   mix · ~3 min

   Add the rice and hot water.

   1.Add the drained rice and fold gently for 1 minute so the grains are coated in the spiced ghee.

   2.Pour in the hot water and mix once.

   3.Taste the liquid and adjust only if absolutely needed, keeping the salt light.
6. 6
   boil · ~5 min

   Bring the pulao to a boil.

   Raise the heat and bring the pot to a gentle boil. Once the surface starts bubbling steadily, reduce the heat to low.

7. 7
   steam · ~15 min

   Cover and cook until the rice is tender.

   Drizzle the saffron milk over the top, cover tightly, and cook on very low heat for 15 minutes until the rice is fluffy and the chicken is cooked through.

   TIPThe chicken should reach 165°F or 74°C at the thickest part.
8. 8
   rest · ~10 min

   Rest the pulao off the heat.

   Turn off the heat and let the covered pot rest for 10 minutes so the grains finish setting.

9. 9
   garnish

   Fluff and finish the pulao.

   Gently fluff the rice with a fork. Top with the reserved onion-nut mixture and chopped cilantro.

10. 10
    serve

    Serve the Kashmiri Chicken Pulao hot.

Cuisines we love