Ingredients

• 2 cups of white rice – Govindobhog Rice OR Basmati Rice
• 200 grams of Paneer (cut into small cubes)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• ½ teaspoon ginger paste
• ½ teaspoon garlic paste
• 4-5 green chili (finely chopped)
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1” cinnamon
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2-3 pieces of mace (javitri)
• 2 cloves

• 3-4 small green cardamom
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder
• 100 grams ghee
• 4 cups water
• Salt per taste
• 3-4 tablespoons of ghee
• Oil for cooking
• 20-25 pieces of cashew nuts (Kaju)
• 1 cup of fox nut (Makhana)
• 15-20 pieces of raisins
• Pinch of black salt
• Pinch of black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes
• Few thin slices of deep fried onion for garnishing

Preparation Time

• 15 minutes

Cooking Time

• 25 – 30 minutes

Cooking Instructions

Step 1 – Preparing the crunchy dry fruits

• Heat a nonstick pan on the oven
• Add oil to the hot pan and allow it to heat
• Add cashew nuts and fry it till golden brown
• Once golden brown, take out and keep the fried cashews aside
• To the remaining oil now add the makhana (fox nuts)
• Fry it till the color changes to golden brown and the texture is hardened and is no longer soft

• Once fried, take the makhana out and keep it aside with the cashew nuts
• To this oil now add few thin slices of onion and deep fry till it turns brown; this will be used for garnishing the pulao at the end
• Turn off the heat and let the oil cool down
• Now take a bowl and to it add one tablespoon of this fried oil
• To this oil add a pinch of black salt, black pepper powder and red chili flakes
• Add the fried cashews and makhana to this oil and coat it properly with this mixture

Step 2 – Preparing the Paneer

• Cut the paneer into small cubes
• To the small cubes sprinkle salt and a pinch of red chili powder
• Mix it well till the paneer is coated with the salt and red chili powder
• Keep it aside for 10-15 minutes

• Now heat a thick bottomed pan on the oven
• Add ghee to it and allow it to melt
• Add the paneer cubes to the ghee and fry it till the white paneer turns light brown
• Once the color is changed take out the paneer and keep it aside in a plate

Step 3 – Cooking the Pulao

For the pulao I have taken ‘Govindobhog’ rice. This rice is very popular in West Bengal. It is white, short grained, aromatic and has a sweet buttery flavor to it.

• Wash the rice in a colander and allow excess water to drain
• Take a pressure cooker and put it on the oven on medium heat
• Add ghee to the pressure cooker and allow it to melt
• Once the ghee is melted, add all the spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) and allow the spices to crackle in the ghee; make sure it doesn’t burn
• Now add the finely chopped onions to this ghee and spices
• Once the onion starts to change its color to light pink/brown add the ginger and garlic paste

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• Mix the spices well and washed rice to this spice mix
• The rice needs to blend well with the spices and keep stirring till the rice changes color to golden brown
• Add a pinch of red chili powder, salt, raisins, mace and bay leaf to the rice
• Give a good stir to all the ingredients in the pressure cooker and add the fried paneer to it

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• Now add the fried paneer cubes to the fried rice and allow it to mix with the rice and get coated in all the spices
• Now add 4 cups of water to the rice

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• Close the pressure cooker and allow the rice to cook on high heat for 5 minutes; one whistle is enough and once done, keep it away from the flame
• After all the steam is released open the pressure cook and the pulao is now ready to be served

Serve the pulao in a plate and garnish it with finely chopped green chilies and fried onion. Serve the ‘Jashn-e-Pulao’ along with a side of crunchy nuts and enjoy your meal!

Do post your feedback, comments, pictures letting me know how it turned out! And do subscribe to my Blog – You can also write to me on 19.kprabha@gmail.com

Happy Cooking!