Kashmir Kashmiri Pulao Saffron Dry Fruit Aromatic Festival

Ingredients

• 2 cups aged basmati rice
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 1 medium onion — thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods — crushed
• 2 black cardamom pods — cracked
• 1 cinnamon stick — 4 cm
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp fennel powder
• 3.5 cups water
• A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
• 2 tbsp cashews — fried in 1 tsp ghee
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds — toasted
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash basmati rice until clear. Soak 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot. Add thinly sliced onion.
3. Cook on medium for 12 to 15 minutes until deeply golden and caramelised. Remove half the onion for garnishing.
4. Add bay leaves, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to the remaining onion. Fry 30 seconds.
5. Add drained rice. Toss in ghee 2 minutes to coat each grain.
6. Add fennel powder and salt. Stir.
7. Add 3.5 cups water. Bring to a boil. Stir once.
8. Reduce to the absolute lowest heat. Cover tightly. Cook 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
9. Remove from heat. Pour saffron milk over the rice without stirring.
10. Cover. Rest 5 minutes. Fluff gently.
11. Add fried cashews, raisins and toasted almonds.
12. Fold gently. Garnish with reserved caramelised onion.