Nov 17

Chicken Pulav

I have attempted different versions of biryani before and I still have some more left in my kitty to make. I honestly didn’t feel like putting the effort I usually do for a biryani today so I decided to try a pulav.


Now I thought this is going to be easy but honestly it was a bit of an effort. First to create the stock then add flavour and strain and finally cooking the rice in stock. The flavours reminded me of the mutton yakhni pulao I used to eat at Taj Jaisalmer. My husband and I worked for the Taj and would often visit Jaisalmer. I would call Chef Rakesh and ask him to prepare pathar ke ghosht and yakhni pulav for us. He was a wonderful cook. This dish took me back to those days a decade ago. 


Ingredients
1kg chicken

Bouquet garni – 3 tbsp fennel/saunf, 1 tbsp cumin/jeera, 2 sticks cinnamon/dalchini, 7 cloves/laung, 4 black cardamom/moti elaichi, 5 black pepper/Kali mirch

7 garlic flakes

2 cups basmati rice soaked

5 tbsp ghee

4 onions sliced

10 flakes garlic made into a coarse paste with 3 green chillies

1 cup mint/pudina leaves 

1 cup coriander/dhania leaves

2 bay leaves/tej pata

1 tsp black cumin/Shah jeera

4 green cardamoms/choti elaichi

Salt


Method

  1. Prepare the bouquet garni by tying all the masalas in a cloth 
  2. In a pressure cooker add to the chicken, 4.5 cups of water, garlic, salt and the bouquet garni.
  3. Close the lid, give 1 whistle and keep on slow for 1 min. Shut the gas and drop pressure by placing the cooker under the tap, open lid only when pressure drops.
  4. Strain, keep the stock and chicken pcs sep.
  5. Use some of the stock and grind all the masalas in the bouquet garni to a paste
  6. Mix this paste in the stock and stir well. No need to put on heat.
  7. Strain this stock using a cloth and discard residue.
  8. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera, tej pata and choti elaichi.
  9. Add onion slices and fry till golden brown.
  10. Add the chicken pcs, chopped garlic, mint and coriander and stir for 2 mins
  11. Add 4 cups of stock, enough salt and bring it to a boil.
  12. Now drain the rice and add it to the stock. Check seasoning and if you need it spicier add some split green chillies 
  13. Bring to a boil and then lower gas and cook for 16 mins.
  14. Shut the gas and leave it covered for 5-10 mins.
  15. Serve hot with some raita on the side.

Recipe courtesy – Neeta Mehta (with some changes)