Indian cuisine often includes pulao, a fragrant rice dish cooked with meats, vegetables, or shellfish, and spices. It's referred to as a "one-pot meal" because everything—including the rice and spices—cooks in one pot, making cleaning easier and streamlining the cooking process. Because it's tasty and filling, pulao is a popular choice for dinner. It makes a great main course. The following are some unusual varieties of pulao:
1. Basanti Pulao:
Bengali cuisine's "Basanti Pulao" is renowned for its vivid yellow colour and savoury-sweet flavour. To make a fragrant and flavourful base, simmer basmati rice with ghee, sugar, whole spices, and milk steeped with saffron. For texture and taste, add grated coconut, raisins, and fried cashews. Basanti Pulao is typically served with fiery Bengali curries, such as vegetable or chicken curry, which counterbalance the pulao's sweetness and make for a filling meal.
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2. Mushroom Pulao:
Savoury rice cooked with aromatic herbs, spices, and mushrooms is called mushroom pulao. The mushrooms lend a deep, umami flavour, while the spices give off a light scent. To make it, heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, along with bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Sauté sliced onions until golden, then add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms are tender, add chopped tomatoes, green chillies, and spices. Stir in the drained rice, add water, and cook until the rice is done. Garnish with coriander and serve hot. For extra taste and texture, it's usually served with a side of pickles, raita (yoghurt salad), or papadum (crispy flatbread). This recipe is pleasant, with the fluffy rice wonderfully complemented by the creamy texture of the mushrooms.
3. Kashmiri Pulao:
A popular rice dish from Kashmiri cuisine, Kashmiri pulao is characterised by its aromatic and sweet taste. To make it, basmati rice is cooked with a mixture of cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices, as well as dried fruits and nuts, including cashews, raisins, and almonds. Traditionally, the pulao is served with a side of yoghurt or raita, which provides a creamy and refreshing counterpoint to the dish's richness.
4. Misti Pulao:
A Bengali rice dish Misti Pulao, sometimes referred to as sweet pulao, is flavoured with a hint of sweetness and flavorful spices. Traditionally, ghee, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, raisins, and a tiny bit of sugar or jaggery are cooked with basmati rice. The finished dish has a nice scent from the spices and a perfect balance of savoury and sweet flavours. For a filling supper, misti pulao is frequently served with creamy Bengali delicacies like mutton kosha or chicken rezala.
5. Tawa Pulao:
An Indian street food staple, tawa pulao is well-known for its acidic and spicy taste. To make it, cooked rice is stir-fried with a variety of veggies, including onions, bell peppers, carrots, and peas, as well as seasonings like red chilli powder, cumin, and coriander. Fresh cilantro is a common garnish, and it's typically served hot with raita or yoghurt on the side and a splash of lemon juice for extra zest and freshness.
6. Chickpea Pulao:
Rice, aromatic spices, and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) combine to create a delicious rice dish known as chickpea pulao. The chickpeas give it a nutty, earthy flavour that is enhanced by the aromatic spices. Chickpeas are prepared by cooking them with rice, tomatoes, onions, and seasonings such as garam masala, cumin, and coriander. For a filling and delicious supper, it's usually served with lettuce, pickles, or yoghurt raita.
7. Mutton Keema Pulao:
A delicious rice dish called Mutton Keema Pulao is created with minced mutton (keema), onions, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, and garam masala. The spices give the rice depth and warmth, while the keema provides a deep, meaty flavour. Usually, the keema and spices are sautéed, followed by the addition of soaked rice and water, and cooked until the rice is soft. For a full meal, mutton keema pulao is frequently served with raita, or a side order of hot curry.
8. Goan Chorizo Pulao:
Goa, India, is the source of the tasty rice dish known as Goan Chorizo Pulao. It has sour and spicy Goan chorizo sausage cooked with onions, tomatoes, cumin and coriander. Aromatic basmati rice is also used. The spices give the pulao depth and warmth, while the chorizo gives it a rich, smokey flavour. To counterbalance the strong tastes of the pulao, it is usually served with a side of raita, yoghurt sauce, or a crisp salad.
