Masale Bhath (Spicy Pulao)

Ingredients	Quantity
Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 min)	300gms
Coriander seeds	2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Sesame seeds	1 tsp
Cinnamon	1 small piece
Cloves	4
Cucumber	1
Ghee	4 tsp
Mustard seeds	¼ tsp
Cumin seeds	¼ tsp
curry	few springs
Asafetida	1 pinch
Green chilli – slit lengthwise	1
Salt	to taste
Grated coconut	20gms
Cashew nuts	25gms
Coriander leaves – chopped	15gms

Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon and cloves and grind them to a fine powder. Slit and cut the cucumber into long pieces.

Heat three tsp. ghee in a pan and season with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add curry leaves, asafetida and green chilli. Add the cucumber pieces and sauté for five minutes. Add the rice and fry for five minutes. Heat water, double the volume of cucumber and rice mixture and add to the rice. Also add the seasoning, salt and cashew nuts. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until almost done. Pour the remaining ghee over, cover and cook until all the water has evaporated and the rice is done.

Serve hot garnished with grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.

Kathal Pulao (Raw Jackfruit Pulao)

Ingredients	Quantity
Long grain rice washed and soaked in 30 minutes	2 cups
Raw jackfruit segments deseed & quartered	1 cup
Cabbage shredded coarsely	½ cup
Onion cut in thin strips	1
Green chillies – finely chopped	5
Ginger and garlic paste	1 tsp
Coriander	1 tbsp
Spring onion – finely chopped	1
Curd	1 cup
Coconut scraped	2 tbsp
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Sugar	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Milk	2 tbsp
Oil	3 tbsp

Boil rice in salted water, till done, but each grain is separate. Drain, spread in a plate, keep aside to cool. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan or earthen handi. Add jackfruit, fry till light golden, drain. Keep 2-3 pieces for garnish, sprinkle on rice. To same oil, add onions, stir fry till dark brown, drain. Sprinkle on rice, keeping 1 tablespoon for garnish. Also keep aside 1 tablespoon coconut for garnish. To same oil, add cabbage, chillies, ginger, garlic, stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add curds, stir cook till whiteness is gone. Add spring onions, lemon, sugar, salt, stir for a minute. Add coconut and mix. Pour over rice. Mix gently till well blended. Transfer to handi or casserole. Sprinkle 2 tablespoon milk. Top with garnish of coconut, coriander, jackfruit and onions. 15 minutes before serving, bake covered in hot oven for 10 minutes. For handi dum cover with lid, seal with chapati dough. Place over slow fire for 20 minutes. Break seal before serving.

Serve hot, with thick gravy vegetable or with curd or raitha.

Kashmiri Pulao

Ingredients	Quantity
Long grain rice (basmati)	2 cups
Milk	2 cups
Cream beaten smooth	½ cup
Salt	to taste
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Cloves	3
1” cinnamon	1 piece
Cardamoms	3
Bay leaf	1
Ghee	2 tbsp
Canned chopped mixed fruit (drained)	1 cup
Edible rose petals	3

Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes. Mix milk, cream, sugar, salt. Drain rice, keep aside. Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves. Allow to splutter. Add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes. Add milk, cream, mixture. Add ½ cup water. Bring to a boil.

When boil is reached, cover and simmer till cooked. Each grain should be cooked, but separate. Mix in drained fruit very gently.

Garnish by sprinkling finely broken rose petals.

Serve hot with a curry or tadka dal.

Kashmiri region

Kabuli Pulao

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice	2 cups
Cauliflower – cut into flowerets	100gms
Peas – shelled	100gms
Onions – sliced	2
Large potato	1
Yoghurt	½ cup
Milk	1 cup
Garlic loves	1
Ginger	2’
Chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander seeds	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
For the garlic chutney: (grind together to a fine paste)
Garlic	1 pod
Red chillies	8
Cumin seeds	1 tsp
Salt	to taste
For the green chutney: (grind together to a fine paste)
Green chillies	4
Cilantro	1 bunch
Ginger (3 cm)	1 piece
Lime juice of	1
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Salt	to taste

This rice dish sans gravy is not as spicy as the traditional biryani.

Grind garlic, ginger, chilli powder, coriander seeds, turmeric powder and salt to a fine paste. Set aside.

Wash the rice and soak for two hours.

Heat the ghee and fry the ginger garlic paste until the ghee separates.

Add yogurt and keep stirring for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower flowerettes and green peas and stir well.

Cover the pan with a shallow, close fitting plate filled with water. Cook on a low flame for eight minutes and set aside.

Peel and slice the potato into thick sections.

Heat ghee and fry until done. Drain and sprinkle with a little salt and set aside.

Brown onions in ghee, drain and set aside.

Boil sufficient water and cook the rice in it until three-fourths done. Pour a tablespoon of ghee over it, cover and set aside.

Take a deep mould, like jelly mould or use a pressure cooker. Put a layer of plain rice in it. Over it put a layer of cauliflower and green peas and top it with another layer of red garlic chutney, topped with fried potatoes followed by a layer of white rice.

Repeat the layers in the same sequence ending with the layer of white rice. Sprinkle milk over the rice. Place the vessel or mould over a thick-bottomed tava and cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is done.

Remove from the heat and very gently unmould the rice on a plate or a tray taking care to see that the layers are intact. Serve hot.