Pindi Pulao - Chicken and Rice Casserole a.k.a. Pilaf / Pilau
PINDI PULAO – aromatic, warming, rice and meat casserole.
Pindi Pulao! A delicious family dinner of Pindiites and as obviously named after their famous city of Rawalpindi! The city of Mr Q and my In-laws! (Wiki)
Rawalpindi (Pindi) is a city abuzz all day long with daily life’s hustle and bustle, tourists, traffic, shopping and food!
Rawalpindi showcases traditional Pakistani food at its best! From top-notch eateries to street side vendors….food is authentic and flavoursome… Chikar Chana, Saag, Roghni Naan, Masala Fish, Chicken Tikka, Pindi Pulao, Yakhni Pulao, Creamy Lassi, Gol Guppay, Chaat and refreshing Rose Sherbet….Kheer, Qulfi, Firni, and Falooda of all kinds….you’ll find it all here.
This Pindi Pulao is one of my favourite comfort food, Mr Q used to make it for me in our early days! That was my introduction to Pindi Pulao, it was love at first “bite”….It felt like I needed that pulao –aromatic, warming, meaty comfort in my life. I was hooked on it straight away and adapted the recipe as it’s my own! since then cooked it many times! Always a joy!
Rawalpindi showcases traditional Pakistani food at its best! From top-notch eateries to street side vendors….food is authentic and flavoursome… Chikar Chana, Saag, Roghni Naan, Masala Fish, Chicken Tikka, Pindi Pulao, Yakhni Pulao, Creamy Lassi, Gol Guppay, Chaat and refreshing Rose Sherbet….Kheer, Qulfi, Firni, and Falooda of all kinds….you’ll find it all here.
This Pindi Pulao is one of my favourite comfort food, Mr Q used to make it for me in our early days! That was my introduction to Pindi Pulao, it was love at first “bite”….It felt like I needed that pulao –aromatic, warming, meaty comfort in my life. I was hooked on it straight away and adapted the recipe as it’s my own! since then cooked it many times! Always a joy!Ingredients
- 1 medium Chicken skinned with bones
- 4-5 tbsp oil
- 1 ½ 1 onion quartered, ½ finely sliced
- 8-10 chunky garlic cloves (2 of them finely chopped)
- 1 ½ inch ginger ½ inch of it fine paste
- 1 star anise badyan ka phool
- 1 medium cinnamon stick darchini
- 1 bay leaf tez patta
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds sabat dhania
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds zeera
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 tbsp aniseeds sonf
- 2 black cardamoms kali elaichi
- ½ tbsp black peppercorns plus a few more for curry sabat kali mirch
- 2-3 tbsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 ½ cups basmati rice
- 5-6 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the chicken and add it to a deep pan or pressure cooker if you are in a hurry. Add about 5-6 cups of hot water along with 1 quartered onion, whole 6 garlic cloves, 1-inch piece of ginger skin and all and all the whole dry spices. i.e. star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf, Coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, cloves, aniseeds, cardamom, black peppercorns and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and allow to simmer on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes. or in a pressure cooker, cook for a few minutes or until the chicken is almost tender.
- Now, it's time to strain the broth (yakhni) through a sieve over a deep pan. keep to one side and fish out the chicken pieces and some of the onion pieces, keeping them to one side too. squeeze the pulp in the sieve to get the most out of it and throw away the dried-up leftover spices. (see the video)
- In the same empty pan, you made the broth, heat 3 tbsp oil on medium heat. Add 1/2 chopped onion, paper corn and clove, remaining ginger and garlic in the paste. Saute till they are light brown, but do not let them go too brown...
- Now, add the chicken and (cooked) onion pieces (the one you have fished out from the pulp, this will give air pockets to the rice to fluff up) and a tomato, stir fry for a couple of minutes and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, a splash of broth and oil if the curry is trying up.
- Time to add the rice and 4 1/2 cup of broth to the chicken along with 1 tbsp oil and salt for the rice. Bring to a boil for a few minutes, when starting to dry up cover and simmer on the lowest heat setting till the water is completely dried up and the rice is soft, but not mushy about 15-20 minutes.
- While the Pulao is cooking away, you can make the Raita. (see the attached cooking video)
- Serve the Pindi Pulao hot with Raita and onion tomato salad!
