(Patiala Pullao)
3 medium-sized onions
2 cups basmati rice
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black (or white) cumin seeds
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
3 black (or 6 green) cardamom pods
1 3" long cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
Peel onions. Finely chop one of them. Slice the remaining 2 into paper-thin shreds.
Wash the basmati rice by placing rice in a large bowl, fill the bowl with water allowing the rice to settle. Pour off the water. Repeat 8-9 times or until water runs clear. Finally fill the bowl with 4 cups of cold water, and let soak for ˝ hour. Drain the rice in a bowl reserving the water and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the 2 shredded onions. Over medium-high heat, frying the onions, stirring constantly until the onions turn dark brown (about 20 minutes) . Take the onions out with a slotted spoon, and drain them on paper towels. When cool, these fried onions shreds will become crackling crisp. Set them aside for the garnish. Note: I hate what I call "ball & chain" recipes that require me to do anything constantly for long periods of time. So what I do with this step is to reduce the heat and just let the onions sauté nicely over the lower heat, stirring occasionally for a longer time until they get golden-brown, but not crispy. Then I just serve the not-so-crispy onions as a garnish instead.
Turn the heat to medium-high. If you are using white cumin, add the seeds now, and fry until they turn dark brown (about 10 seconds). Then add the 1 chopped onion, and fry until light brown (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly to prevent burning. Do not let the the onion brown too much, or the pilaf will turn brown. Add the garlic, and fry for an additional minute. Add the remaining spices (sans salt), and continue frying for 30 seconds or so, until the spices are slightly puffed and browned. Add rice and fry until the rice becomes translucent again and begins to brown (about 2-3 minutes). Add the reserved water and salt, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the rice from settling.
Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the water is almost absorbed and the surface of the rice is covered with several tiny steam holes (about 10-12 minutes). There is no need to stir the rice, but if you wish to do so, use a fork or a knife so that you don't crush the rice grains.
Cover the pan tightly, reduce the heat to the lowest possible level, and raise the pan about an inch away from the source of the heat (this can be done by placing a pair of tongs or a wok ring over the burner and resting the pan on it.) Let rice steam for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let the rice rest undisturbed, covered, for another 5 minutes. Do not stir the rice during the last 15 minutes, as the grains are very moist and fragile, breaking easily with every touch. The rice will remain warm for 20 minutes, if left covered. Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a warm serving platter. Spread the fried onion shreds over it and serve immediately.
Serves 6-8.
Although pilaf is made throughout North India, it is the Punjabis who excel in creating this Moghul delicacy to perfection. So it is not surprising that the basic, the most exquisitely flavored pilaf of all is called Patiala (a city in the state of Punjab) or Punjabi Pullao.
Made with the finest quality basmati grown in the North, and the best quality spices, this pilaf is indeed sensational. Its wonderful fragrance and delicate flavor linger on in one's memory long after the pilaf has been devoured.
The Punjabis use only whole whole spices in their pilafs, to flavor them without changing the color of the rice. This pilaf is traditionally served with all the whole spices left in, because it makes the dish look attractive. Except for the cumin, the spices are not eaten, although no harm will come to you if you bite into the cardamom pods, chew a bay leaf, or swallow a few cloves.
This elegant pilaf goes with practically all Northern Indian and Moghul dishes. It is particularly good with cream-braised dishes. It also melds well with seafood preparations. Try it with Royal Chicken in Silky White Almond Sauce.
From "Classic Indian Cooking" by Julie Sahni.