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There are a plethora of pulao options available now for vegetarians, thanks to creative minds. However until a few decades ago, the most common and popular versions were vegetable pulao and peas pulao, at least down south. Here is a millet pulao, a tad bit healthier take over the traditional version of vegetable pulao. Millets have been grown and consumed in India for ages and these gluten free grains are a healthier option over rice and wheat, the two staple grains of the Indian sub continent. Millets can easily be substituted for rice in everyday cooking.
I had to think a bit for my 'O' recipe. Oralu chitranna and oliya were already done and to be honest, I could not think beyond onion, okra, oats and orzo when planning for 'O' recipes. Onion pulao would have been redundant after my ghee rice post yesterday and I like my okra to be crunchy and crispy. I am not a fan of 'oats replacing rice' kind of dishes and so all my options were out of the window. Then the thought of using barnyard millet which is called oodhalu both in Telugu and Kannada occurred and here is that oodhala pulao. I made a garlic free pulao but feel free to add 1/2 tsp. garlic paste along with ginger.
I have given the preparation of this pulao in both pressure cooker and pan. And also the method of cooking the vegetables and millets separately so that it comes handy when you have leftover cooked millet or you want your millet grains to stand apart.
Ingredients: (Yield 4 - 6 servings)
2 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds or caraway seeds (jeera or shahjeera)
3 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 one inch cinnamon pieces
1 big bay leaf
1 onion, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 inch piece ginger, finely grated or 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. minced cilantro leaves
1tbsp. minced mint leaves
2 small carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup green beans (stringed and cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 cup peeled and cubed potato
1/4 cup fresh / frozen green peas
1 cup oodhalu / barnyard millet
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
1 and 3/4 cup water
Salt as needed (I added about 2 and 1/4 tsp. salt)
Directions for method 1: (Cooking vegetables and millet together.)
1. Heat ghee / oil in a small sized pressure cook directly. Add cumin / caraway seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf and saute for few seconds. Add sliced onions, cilantro, mint and keep cooking until the onions turn pink. Add ginger paste and garlic paste if using and saute for few seconds. Then add the vegetables and stir well.
2. Rinse the millet in two exchanges of water and drain. Add the millet, water, turmeric and salt. (If you don't prefer pulao to be a very dry version, add 1/4 cup more water.)
3. Pressure cook on medium flame for 3 whistles and turn off the stove. When the valve pressure is gone, fluff and serve the pulao with plain yogurt or a raita.
Notes:
1. If using a pan instead of a pressure cooker, add 2 cups of water to millet and vegetables. Cover a lid tightly over the pan and cook on low flame until all the water evaporates and the millet is cooked through. Taste and check if the millet is cooked. If not, add a little extra water and cook until done.
2. If one doesn't prefer cooking directly in a pressure cooker, then cooking until step 2 can be done in a pan. Then transfer the contents of the pan to a container that fits into a pressure cooker, place it in a pressure cooker with water at the bottom and pressure cook as usual for 3 whistles.
Directions for method 2: (Cooking vegetables and millet separately.)
1. Rinse the millet in two exchanges of water and drain. Pressure cook millet on low flame for 3 whistles adding 1 and 3/4 cups water, salt, and turmeric. (I add only about 3/4 cup water for 1/2 cup millet.)
2. Heat ghee / oil in a pan and add cumin / caraway seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf and saute for few seconds. Add sliced onions and keep cooking until onions turn pink. Add ginger paste and garlic paste if using and saute for few seconds. Then add mint, cilantro, vegetables and stir well. Turn down the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook until the vegetables are cooked (but not mushy), stirring intermittently.
3. Add the cooked millet to the pan and stir gently to mix. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving so that the flavors can mingle.
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K for Kashmiri Pulao
L for Lucknowi Biryani
Comments
Nei choru is a mildly spiced, richly flavored ghee rice version from Kerala / Malabar regions. Nei choru literally means ghee rice and the dish is cooked in a base of ghee, making it an aromatic and flavor loaded one. Ghee rice is a savory rice preparation which is popular in southern parts of India albeit with minor regional variations. Khuska or kuska rice is a similar dish that includes mint and cilantro as well in the preparation. Ghee rice is even reserved for celebratory occasions and it has been a popular choice in the region for years, especially for vegetarians, when picking a simple yet rich tasting dish for parties, small or big.
I started cooking for this marathon with nei choru since it was a simple dish to start with before plunging into the world of layered biryanis. I remember enjoying it very much in spite of it's simplicity. If not a fan of elaborate, time and energy consuming biryani preparations which have a laundry list of ingredients and steps, then this would be the basic version to try without getting intimidated. Ghee rice provides a very delicious base for spicy curries, kormas or even dals. A short variety, aromatic rice called jeerakasala / jeerakasamba / kaima that needs no prior soaking is the preferred choice of rice in the Malabar regions to prepare ghee rice. Basmati rice would be a great substitute if not able to find the mentioned rice. Keralites seem to pair ghee rice with non veg versions but this parippu curry was one of the suggested side dishes for the vegetarian folks. The pairing sounded so unusual initially but after tasting it, I have to admit that this combo go real well.
Ingredients:
1 cup rice*
4 to 6 tsp. ghee (One can use more.)
1/4 cup cashews and raisins
1 cup peeled and sliced onions (divided)
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon piece
1 bay leaf
1 and 3/4 cup water
salt to taste
* A short grained rice called jeerakasala is used locally but basmati rice can be substituted in it's place.
Directions:
1. Wash and soak rice in water for about 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.(This step is optional. No need to worry if you forgot.)
2. Heat 2 tsp. ghee in a pan and or directly in a small pressure cooker. Add cashews and toast on medium flame until golden brown. Don't burn them. Remove them with a slotted spoon onto a small plate. Add raisins next and toast them (by shaking the pan so that they are evenly toasted) until they turn plump. Remove them with a slotted spoon onto the cashew plate. Next add half of the onions and 2 tsp. ghee (I added oil here.) and saute on medium flame until they turn golden brown, stirring continuously. This is the only step in the recipe that calls for some attention. We want the onions turn golden brown with sweet flavor. Don't saute on high flame or don't leave the onions unattended since they can burn easily and would turn bitter and not suitable to use in the dish. Transfer the onions to another bowl.
3. Add the remaining ghee to the pan / cooker and add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute them for few seconds and add the remaining onion slices and. Saute until translucent.
Next add rice, water and salt. Mix well and taste the water. It should be a little on the salty side. If using pressure cooker, close the lid and cook for 3 whistles. If using a pan, add 1/4 cup more water than the quantity mentioned in the ingredients' list. Cover and cook on low flame, without keeping peeking into the dish until done, about 20 minutes.
4. Steps 2 and 3 can be done simultaneously using two different pans, to cut down the cooking time.
5. Garnish with raisins, cashews and fried onions. Serve warm with any Kerala style coconut based curry / parippu curry. (Recipe here.)
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K for Kashmiri Pulao
L for Lucknowi Biryani
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.
The most common basic versions of Indian pulaos have to be a plain nuts' based pulao or a ghee rice or even a jeera rice, that pair well with a spicy gravy. My pulao - biryani exploration for this marathon showed me that there are many regional variations of the same with few extra touches that make them unique. Like the Basanthi Pulao from the Bengal region and the Mewa Pulao from Rajasthan with a dose of sweetness. The Kashimiri version with fresh fruits thrown in that sets it apart from being a plain, bland pulao. Today's version of moti or motiyonwale pulao that comes from the state of Rajasthan is one such dish with a special touch. It is bland on it's own and so be sure to serve it with a spicy side dish and a raita. Mine was served with a spicy gravy which is not pictured here.
The addition of fried balls made with a combination of grated paneer and ground cashews and adorned with edible silver foil aka 'chandi ka warq' lend a richness to this pulao and seems to fit a royal kitchen. Moti, pronounced as mow-thi (as in thin) means 'pearl' and the name of the dish must be alluding to those gilttery silver warq balls that look like shiny pearls. Make sure to make the balls tiny if using silver foil to replicate the pearls.
Silver warq or varak is edible and adding silver and even sometimes gold foils to sweets, dry fruits, supari and other stuff is common in the Indian subcontinent. The fragile foil is flavorless and just added for the richness it imparts to the appearance of the sweets. The thinner version foil tends to stick to skin when handled directly. I let go the silver warq from the recipe but if using, make sure that you are using a vegetarian version, that is if you are practicing vegetarianism.
Warq is made by placing and pounding the pure metal dust between parchment sheets until it is molded into a foil, which takes about two hours. The sheets are typically packed with paper for support, which is peeled away before use. The traditional method involves manually pounding the particles between layers of ox, goat or cattle hide because it is easier to separate the silver leaf from animal tissue than to separate it from paper. Hyderabad was once famous for this dying art. The recent common process uses ox guts where the hammering leads to the intestines become part of the silver foil. The concerns raised by vegetarians have led to production using modern technologies where beating over sheets of black special treated paper or polyester sheets coated with food grade calcium powder takes instead of hide / guts. Also there are safety issues since sometimes to make quick money, aluminium is used instead of silver which is toxic. The government had banned the usage of guts and hides in 2016 only to halt the directive as a result of job losses. (Source:Wiki)
Recipe source: Here
Ingredients: (yield 2 - 3 servings)
1/2 cup heaped Basmati rice
2 tsp. ghee / oil
2 tbsp. each raisins and cashews
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms
1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon piece
Few saffron strands
1.5 tsp. salt
Ingredients for paneer balls:
1/2 cup paneer, grated
1 tbsp. cashew powder
1/2 tbsp. corn starch
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Silver warq sheet if using
Directions:
* Rinse and soak rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
* Add grated paneer, cashew powder, corn starch and salt to a mixing bowl. Knead into a smooth dough and roll into small balls. Make sure to make them tiny if using silver foil to cover them.
* Heat sufficient oil in a kadai or a small frying pan. Deep fry the paneer balls on medium heat, until light golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on absorbent paper towel lined plate. Let the fried balls cool and cover them with silver warq, if using.
* Heat ghee in a pan until it is melted and add raisins and cashews. Toast them until cashews turn light golden brown and raisins plump up. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them aside. To the same ghee, add cloves, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon. Saute the spices until fragrant.
* Next add rice and stir gently for about a minute. Add about a cup of water, saffron and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Or
Pressure cook for 2 whistles adding only 3/4 cup of water.
* Garnish the pulao with fried paneer balls, raisins and cashews.
* Serve with a spicy gravy curry.
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K for Kashmiri Pulao
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.
Comments
Biryanis with an intricate blend of exotic spices, complex flavors, and tantalizing aromas have been mesmerizing the Indian culinary field for centuries now. They have become an integral part of the local cuisine so much that we forget that their origin lies in faraway lands, in the western parts of Asia. Biryani seems to have derived from the Persian word 'Birian' meaning ‘fried before cooking’. Though origins of the biryani is up for debates, according to one of the legends, the Turk - Mongol conqueror Taimur is believed to have brought biryani to India. Other story credits Mumtaz Mahal, the woman behind Taj Mahal for it's origins. The Mughals however are credited to spread it far and wide, with innovations that no longer resemble the original version where the meat was marinated overnight and grilled on tandoor.
The authentic and traditional, non-vegetarian varieties of biryanis which are regarded as gems in today's culinary world, were concocted by the royal chefs of Mughal kitchens and other regional Muslim rulers. Among them, the Nawabs of Lucknow along with the Hyderabdi Nizams were great patrons of biryanis. Awadhi biryani aka Lucknowi biryani which is considered a mild and delicately flavored biryani is a gift from Nawabi kitchens of Oudh aka Awadh.
Lucknowi biryani is a delicately spiced biryani and is most commonly paired with burrani, a garlic based raita. The original version is a meat based one where initially a yakhni stock from meat is prepared. It is slowly boiled along with spices for an hour or two so that the water used to cook the rice is well infused with the flavors. The biryani is then cooked in a dum pukhth method. It is a layered biryani that is done in three steps. Lucknowi biryani is a form of 'pukki birysni', 'pukki' meaning cooked. The meat (or vegetables here) and rice here are seperately cooked, then layered and the final cooking is done in a sealed handi, a huge cooking pot. The use of fragrant flavorings like gulab jal or the rose water, kewra water and edible ittar as the final touches to biryanis was / is a common practice, one prevalent since the medieval era in Persian cuisine, where the roots of biryani are believed to be in. I also need to mention that I saw some bloggers using yellow chili powder in the recipe. I however also went through recipes of chefs who have supposedly learnt it from Lucknow cooks who are masters of the art and didn't notice any chili powder additions in their recipes and so skipped it.
I made a vegetable based biryani that was mildly flavored. I have to admit this was one dish I failed miserably at my first attempt. This was not my first layered biryani but the first one I cooked for this marathon. I followed the original recipe to a T and ended up adding water at the end going against my instincts. Oh boy, the final dish was a such mushy one and the rice was all broken into bits which was only fit to trash. I got so mad at the failure of the recipe that instead of giving up, I surprisingly ended up cooking another batch immediately. I did a layered biryani but didn't realize that I spread the plain rice layer over top in the platter and the coloful part of rice is hiding underneath until it was time to edit images. Seems like that I didn't mix the rice enough and that's why it is looking like a white biryani.
Recipe source: Here
Ingredients for rice:
1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp. caraway seeds / shahjeera
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom
1 green cardamom
1 bay leaf
Ingredients for the vegetable gravy:
3 to 4 tbsp. ghee (divided)
1 tsp. shahjeera / caraway seeds
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 mace
1 inch cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper corns
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. garlic paste
About 2.5 cups diced, mixed vegetables*
Salt to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup yogurt
* I added peeled and diced carrots and potatoes, green beans cut into 1 inch pieces and green peas. Cauliflowers are an usual addition.
Ingredients for garnishing:
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped mint leaves
Rose water as needed
Kewra water as needed
1 tbsp. unsalted butter / ghee
2 tbsp. warm milk + 2 pinches of saffron milk
Other Ingredients:
Wheat dough as needed if using to seal.
Prep work:
* Wash and soak rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
* Soak milk and saffron together in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a pan and add sliced onions. Shallow fry them until golden brown and drain on absorbent towels. (One can add more oil and fry them.)
Part 1 - Cooking vegetable gravy:
* To the same pan, add caraway seeds and when they start to sizzle, add 2 cloves, star anise, mace, 1 inch cinnamon stick, nutmeg and peppercorns. Saute them.
* Next add ginger and garlic paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
* Add vegetables and salt to the pan and saute for a couple of minutes. Lower the heat and add yogurt. Stir for few seconds, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Part 2 - Cooking rice:
* While the vegetables are being done, prepare the yakhni to cook rice. Heat about 6 cups of water in a pot. Tie a tsp. of caraway seeds, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 1 green cardamom in a piece of muslin cloth and tie in a bundle. Add the bundle and bay leaves to the water. Let the water simmer for about 20 minutes so that spices infuse their flavor to the water.
* Bring water to a rolling boil and add salt. (When you taste water, it should feel a little salty.)
* Add the soaked and drained rice to the water and gently mix once. Do not cover and continue to cook on high flame, until the rice is 80% cooked. The rice should be almost done with a slight bite at the center of the grain when tasted. (It takes about 6 to 7 minutes.)
* Discard the spices in the cloth bundle and the bay leaves. Save some of the cooked water and transfer the rice to a colander. Rinse rice immediately with cold running water to avoid the rice from further cooking. Drain completely and stir the remaining ghee into the rice. Keep it aside.
Part 3 - Assembling the rice:
* Heat a iron griddle / tawa while assembling the layers.
(I was lazy to get my griddle out and used a old pressure pan instead.)
* Take a heavy bottomed pot, preferably a non stick one to assemble the biryani. Spread half of the fried onions at the base. Spread half the rice over onions. (I did the rice first and spread the onions over it.) Sprinkle half of the saffron milk.
* Then spread a layer of cooked vegetables and chopped mint.
* Then repeat the layers one more time. Rice would be the last layer, (I had some extra fried onions and so, sprinkled on top as well.) Sprinkle saffron water. Sprinkle rose water and kewra water over the rice evenly.
* Dot the rice with unsalted butter / ghee. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup saved water. (I did not use water and sprinkled only some to avoid the rice becoming mushy. The remaining 20% of the rice cooking is supposed to be done in dum style, cook in it's own steam.)
* Tightly wrap the pot with aluminium foil sheet and cover with a lid. Or just cover with a lid and seal the circumference of the pot and the lid with wheat flour dough.
* Set the stove to the lowest setting or to the lowest flame and place the covered pot on the griddle. Cook until the rice is cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.
* Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Open the lid, fluff the rice and serve with burrani or any other spicy gravy.
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.
I ended up with more rice options for the alphabet 'K' than any other ones. There were popular regional biryanis from Kashmir, Kerala and Kolkata. There were kushka, kathal aka jackfruit biryani, and the one made with kidney beans. There were beans with regional names that started with 'K' that could be used to cook rice dishes. And of course, 'K' stands for the popular khichdi as well. Among the lot, Kasmiri pulao won the round because it looked so attractive with fresh fruit garnishing.
For today's post, I am travelling to the northern most part of India, Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir, dubbed the 'Heaven on earth' by emperor Jahangir is a land of beautiful valleys and rivers, located in the majestic Himalayan mountains. The Muslim invasions have greatly influenced the Kashmir region in all walks of life including it's cuisine. The cooking style of the local Hindu pandits, which has been the first major influence on the regional cuisine and that of the Muslim community are the two predominant cooking styles of the region. These have evolved over centuries of culinary craftsmanship, a result of the blend of cultures greatly influenced by central Asian, Persian and Afghani cuisines.
This Kashmiri pulao is a special one in the sense it doesn't use any vegetables but loaded with nuts and fruits, both in fresh and dried forms. Diced apple, seedless grapes, pomegranate seeds, and diced pineapple seem to be the popular choices to add to the pulao. I kept postponing the cooking part until the end in the search of pomegranates with pink, juicy arils, which proved elusive in my Midwest neighborhood in the middle of winter. I am not sure whether pomegranate and pineapple were locally grown in the past centuries and whether they were an authentic addition to this pulao in a traditional sense. The addition of apple makes more sense to me. However the garnish of fresh fruits makes it very colorful, inviting and super delicious. I was initially skeptical about their addition but after tasting it, I would say the more the merrier. I kept enjoying the bursts of sweetness in every bite I took. My tongue couldn't handle even a tiny bit of spice the day I made this and so I ate it as it is to my utter satisfaction. A raita along with the pulao makes a satisfying meal.
Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. caraway seeds / cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 cardamom
1 one inch cinnamon piece
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. ground fennel (saunf powder)
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
A pinch of saffron
Salt to taste (about 1 and 1/2 tsp.)
3/4 cup water
Ingredients for garnish:
2 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 big onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
10 to 12 each - Almonds, cashews and walnuts (I added pistachios as well.)
1/2 to 1 cup fresh fruit pieces (Cut them just before garnishing.)
Directions:
* Wash the rice in two changes of water, soak in water for about 30 minutes and drain.
* Heat ghee in a small pressure cooker and add caraway seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaf. When the seeds start to brown, add ground fennel and ground ginger and stir.
* Next add the soaked rice and stir gently for about a minute so that grains are coated well with ghee /oil. Add a pinch of saffron, salt and water and stir well.
* Close the lid and put the valve on. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and turn off the stove. Let the valve pressure be gone. Allow it to sit for few minutes and then open the lid.
* While the rice is being cooked, heat ghee / oil in a small pan for toasting the onions and nuts. Add nuts one by one and toast until golden brown on low flame, Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Each variety takes few seconds to toast. Do not burn them.
* Add onion slices to the same oil and a pinch of salt and fry on medium flame until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
* Gently fluff the rice and garnish with toasted nuts, toasted onion and fruits.
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
When I first read about this easy breezy mewa pulao, my mind at first didn't register the word 'mewa' though I know what it means. I thought the cooked milk solids, called mawa is used to prepare this pulao and was intrigued. I checked the recipe twice only to see the mawa missing from it. Mewa means nuts/dry fruits and this pulao comes from the state of royals, Rajasthan as the name of the recipe indicates. I read somewhere that the dish is one of the specialty pulaos from the kitchens of Maharanas who preferred nutritious food, them being the warrior class. Hence the richness of the dessert.
This mewa pulao / nuts pulao is not a standard pulao recipe or not even a basic version pulao like the sweetish Bengali mishti pulao that can be served with a spicy gravy curry. An article in "Times of India' mentioned to serve it with raita, pickle or curry but it sounds utterly ridiculous. It is a simple dessert loaded with nuts, that tasted super delicious to my palate, one that is biased towards any dessert. I made a small portion and ate it all by myself in one sitting. It was that good.
Rice, milk and ghee are leisurely cooked together in a pot until the rice is done. Sugar, nuts and the rest of the ingredients are added next and cooked for another 10 to 15 minutes. I didn't follow the traditional method of cooking it in a pot but pressure cooked it which was way simple and quick to cook this dessert. If saffron is missing, add a drop or two of yellow food color for visual appeal. It is going to be yummy even if you skip it. Blanch and peel the almonds if you are patient enough but I wasn't.😉 Try this simple and very inviting sweet version pulao if you have a sweet tooth. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar (I substituted with stevia as needed.)
2 to 4 tbsp. ghee
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg / ground cardamom (one cardamom pod)
2 tsp. chironji / charoli seeds (sara pappu)
1 tbsp. each - Almonds, cashews, raisins and pistachios
2 pinches of saffron strands
Directions:
* Rinse and soak rice in water for about 15 minutes and drain.
* Soak saffron strands in a tbsp. of warm milk or water.
* Pressure cook rice, and milk together for 2 whistles. (I made a small quantity and so added contents to a small container and put it in the cooker.)
* Heat ghee in a pan (or directly to the pressure cooker if the rice was cooked in it) and add the cooked rice, sugar, nuts, raisins, saffron and cardamom. Mix them well once, cover and let the mixture cook on low flame for about 10 minutes. By the time, the sugar melts and incorporates into the rice mixture.
* Turn off the stove and serve it warm.
So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.
I am posting recipes this month, along with a blogging group, with a theme of 'Biryanis, Pulaos and Khichdis'. Though the main focus is on those mentioned categories, there was an option of throwing in some south Indian style rice dishes as well. The only conditions were that the dish would be a grain based one and would feature a series of either Indian or international variations. Though traditionally the themed dishes are mostly made with rice, it was decided that other healthy grains could be used as substitutes. Easy enough but my brain conveniently chose to ignore the 'grain' part though I was seeing it over and over again in the email chain discussions that were going on between the bloggers during the preparation time. I ignored the 'Iyengar puliyogare' that was on my final list and went ahead with 'Idiyappam biryani' instead, patting myself on the back for not inserting a south Indian dish to the 'Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi' series. I forgot that only grain / grits is allowed but not flour or batter.
I realized just last night while scheduling the post that it wasn't a grain based one. Valli, the BM group creator and coordinator, as usual was gracious enough to give me a green signal to go ahead with the dish since it was late for me to cook another dish but I wasn't happy with my error. However I wasn't sure either whether I would be able to click even if I cooked a dish today because of the bad weather. I even frantically looked through my drafts folders to find two rice recipes that could fit today's "I' theme by attaching a prefix of 'Instant', which I didn't want to do. However I took a chance and cooked puliyogare today and to my delight, was even able to take decent pictures in the poor light. And so here is Iyengar style puliyogare or puliyodharai for my 'I' post.
Iyengars, a Tamil brahmin sect whether they live in Tamilnadu or Karnataka have become synonymous for their traditional recipes and bakeries through out the southern parts of India. This 'puliyodarai' as called in Tamilnadu or 'puliyogare' as called in Kannada is one such culinary delight from them. This is also called kovil puliyodarai aka temple puliyodarai alluding to the fact that it is commonly served as prasdam' (food served to devotees), in temples across south India. Any south Indian would agree that puliyodharis, sweet and savory pongals or for that matter anything that served in temples taste special. Divine touch, perhaps.
When cooked by experts, a simple tamarind rice transforms into an exceptional and hearty meal, infused with a fine balance of flavors. Tamarind rice is a classic rice preparation, popular throughout the southern parts of India and reserved even for festive and wedding meals. A spicy paste of tamarind puree is cooked along with seasonings and tempering which is called pulikachal or gojju and then mixed with rice in any tamarind rice preparation. However there are subtle variations between a standard tamarind rice and this Iyengar version. A ground mixture of lentils and spices is added to the Iyengar version which sets it apart from the standard version and makes it more delicious. One of my mother's neighbors of 3 decades or over are Iyengars from Hassan and I remember my mother learning this style of puliyogare from the mother in law of the family, who happens to be a gem of a lady. One of my sisters-in-law cooked one day this in our home using ground sesame seeds and sambhar powder. I loved it so much that I had noted down the proportions. I usually refer to it while preparing tamarind rice to have an approximate idea on the proportions of the ingredients being used. It comes out good each time.
Puliyogare stays fresh for two days even without refrigeration when made with freshly cooked rice and completely cooled before packing. That's why it is one of the popular picnic or travel foods in southern India. The cooked tamarind paste aka gojju can be prepared in advance as well and stored for few months. Just take care to add enough salt while cooking, cool it down completely and store it in an airtight, non-metallic container, preferably a glass jar. Refrigerate it for longer shelf life though it can be left outside if consuming within weeks. The gojju comes handy to fix quick meals where you all need is some cooked rice or even some leftover rice to mix it with.
Ingredients for spice powder: (Yield 1/2 cup)
1.5 tbsp. split chickpeas / chanadal
1 tbsp. split, skinned black gram / urad dal
1.5 tbsp. coriander seeds
4 byadagi chillies or mild ones
3 spicy variety like Guntur red chilies
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. white sesame seeds
Ingredients for tamarind paste and tamarind rice:
8 cups of cooked rice
100 gm / 3.5 oz / about 1/2 cup tamarind
5 tbsp. sesame oil (Substitute with peanut / canola oil.)
1/4 cup peanuts
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. split chickpeas / chana dal
1 tsp. skinned blackgram / urad dal (optional)
2 dried red chillies, each broken into 2 or 3 pieces
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
2 sprigs of curry leaves
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
About 2 tsp. salt (I added a little more but adjust as needed.)
1/4 cup spice powder
1/4 tsp. mild red chili powder (Optional. I used about 1/2 tsp.)
2 Tbsp. jaggery powder or as needed (I added 5 stevia packets.)
Notes:
1. Some add peppercorns in the spice powder but I don't. If using black pepper, skip chili powder from the recipe.
2. Adding sesame seeds in the tempering is optional but you usually see them in Karnataka style tamarind rices.
3. Skip or reduce chili powder if you prefer mildly spicy food. Then the other seasonings may need slight adjustments as well. if you don't prefer adding chili powder but prefer heat, increase the quantity of red chilies in tempering.
4. For quick fix, add a tsp. of ground white sesame seeds and 1 to 2 heaped tbsp. of homemade sambhar powder instead of spice powder.
5. The spice powder can be used to prepare the tamarind paste recipe two times. There will be therefore some leftover powder. Store it in an airtight container. Or halve the spice powder recipe if using it for one time tamarind rice preparation.
6. The tempering of peanuts and dals can be added later (if preferred) instead of adding first while preparing the tamarind paste, which keeps the tempering crunchy.
Directions:
* Pressure cook south Indian style rice like sona masuri. When the valve pressure is gone, let it sit for few minutes. Remove the cooker lid and spread the rice in a wide plate / pot and keep it aside to cool.
* Usually here in US, I get 7 oz / 200 gm slabs of tamarind. I used half of it which came to about 1/2 cup.
* Place tamarind in a microwave safe bowl and pour enough water to cover the tamarind and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Or soak it in enough water until it softens.
* Add split chickpeas / chana dal, blackgram / urad dal and red chillies to a pan. Toast until the dals start to change color. Add coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and sesame seeds and toast until coriander seeds start to brown. Turn off the stove.
* Let them cool and grind finely in a small blender / spice grinder.
* Remove the seeds from cooked tamarind and run through a blender if preferred. (I don't usually don't do it.) Run the mixture through a sieve and collect the puree.
* Add a few tbsp. of water if needed, to extract the puree. Don't add too much water, We need about a cup of thick puree for this recipe not watery one. Refrigerate any extra puree or throw away the residue of strings and pith if no more puree can be extracted.
* Heat oil in a pan on medium flame, preferably a non-stick one to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and to avoid constant stirring. Add peanuts, mustard seeds, split chickpeas / chana dal, split black gram / urad dal, and red chilies to the hot oil. Keep stirring and when the dals start to change color to light brown, add sesame seeds, curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida and stir for about 10 seconds.
* Add the tamarind puree, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring intermittently. Keep an eye on the cooking tamarind paste, especially if not using a non stick pan.
* Next add salt, chili powder, spice powder and jaggery / sweetener and mix well. Cover and cook the mixture, stirring intermittently. The mixture splutters everywhere while cooking and so, be sure to cover the pan. After a couple of minutes, taste the paste while cooking and adjust the seasonings if needed. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes more.
* By the time the tamarind paste would be thicker leaving the oil separate. Don't worry about the quantity of oil. It is perfect when mixed with rice.
* Add the cooked tamarind gojju / paste to the rice in the pan.
* Mix gently to combine the rice well so that each grain is coated evenly with the gojju. Taste and see whether salt is sufficient. If not, add salt as needed. If the puliyogare is too spicy, add some extra plain rice and mix well.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.
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