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A fragrant and royal Mughlai rice dish where long-grain basmati rice is cooked with precious saffron, whole spices, and crunchy nuts. This mildly sweet and savory pulao is a celebration in itself, perfect for special occasions.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Rice and Saffron
Fry the Nuts and Raisins
Sauté Aromatics and Rice
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A fragrant and royal Mughlai rice dish where long-grain basmati rice is cooked with precious saffron, whole spices, and crunchy nuts. This mildly sweet and savory pulao is a celebration in itself, perfect for special occasions.
This mughlai recipe takes 75 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 932.66 calories per serving with 25.81g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Cook the Pulao (Dum Method)
Rest and Serve
Replace ghee with a neutral vegetable oil or coconut oil. Use a plant-based milk like almond or oat milk to soak the saffron.
Add 1/2 cup of mixed vegetables like green peas, diced carrots, and beans along with the onions to make it a Navratan Pulao.
Substitute the water with an equal amount of vegetable or chicken stock for a deeper, more savory flavor profile.
Lightly fry 100g of cubed paneer in ghee after frying the nuts, and add it to the pulao before the dum cooking stage.
Saffron, the star ingredient, is loaded with powerful antioxidants like crocin and safranal, which help protect your cells against oxidative stress and free radicals.
Basmati rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates, which are digested slowly, providing a steady release of energy to keep you active throughout the day.
The whole spices used, such as cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon, are known in traditional medicine for their digestive properties, helping to soothe the stomach and prevent bloating.
One serving of this Zaafrani Pulao contains approximately 440-460 calories, primarily from the basmati rice, ghee, and nuts. The exact count can vary based on the specific ingredients and quantities used.
Zaafrani Pulao is a rich, celebratory dish and is best enjoyed in moderation. While basmati rice provides carbohydrates for energy and saffron has antioxidant properties, the use of ghee and fried nuts makes it calorie-dense. It's a wholesome meal but not typically considered a low-calorie health food.
The main difference lies in the cooking method. In Pulao, the rice and other ingredients are sautéed together and then cooked in a measured amount of water (absorption method). In Biryani, the rice is par-cooked separately and then layered with a separately cooked meat or vegetable gravy, and finally cooked on 'dum' (slow steam).
Mushy rice is usually caused by two things: too much water or overcooking. Ensure you use the correct 1:2 rice-to-water ratio (1.5 cups rice to 3 cups water). Also, do not over-soak the rice (30 minutes is ideal) and avoid stirring it too much after adding water, as this can release starch and make it sticky.
Yes, absolutely. If you have a nut allergy or prefer not to use them, you can simply omit the almonds and cashews. The pulao will still be delicious and fragrant from the saffron and whole spices.