Kashmiri Pulao – Mildly Sweet and Tart Apple Rice Recipe
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 30 mins
  • Servings: 4
  • Preparation Time: 10 mins
  • Produce
  • 1 cup Apple Juice
  • 1 Onion Medium sliced/Julienne
  • 1/2 cup Pomegranate Kernels
  • 1 cup Apple Green – Granny Smith
  • 2 tbs Mint Fresh Leaves – Chopped
  • ¼ cup Cilantro Fresh Leaves – Chopped
  • Pantry
  • 1 cup Rice Basmati
  • 1 tbsp Ghee May also use Butter / oil
  • 2 tbs Cashews Halved
  • 2 tbs Almonds Slivered
  • 2 tbs Walnuts Chopped
  • ½ cup Cranberries Dried
  • Spices
  • 0.5 gm Saffron A pinch
  • 2 inch Cinnamon powder sticks – Dalchini
  • 1 Bay Leaves Tej Patta
  • 1 Star Anise Chakr Phool
  • 4 Cloves Laung crushed
  • 4 Green Cardamom Pods – Hari Elaichicrushed
  • 2 Big cardamom Badi Elaichi crushed
  • 5 Black peppercorns Kali Mirch Crushed
  • ½ tsp Dry Ginger Powder
  • 1 tsp Fennel seeds Saunf crushed
  • 1/2 tsp Salt or as per your taste
  • 1 tbs Sugar
  • Dairy
  • 1/4 cup Milk warm
DIRECTIONS
  1. Prepwork-
  2. -Rinse basmati rice in water for 2-3 times and then soak them in water for 15 minutes. TIP: Do not throw the rinsing water. Collect it in a bowl and use to water your curry leaves plants.
  3. -Soak apple in a water and vinegar solution to remove the wax as much as possible.
  4. -Soak a pinch of saffron in warm milk and keep aside.
  5. -Crush the whole spices special cardamoms pods. TIP: Never add whole pods in hot oil there are chances they can pop in the hot oil and come straight towards your face while cooking.
  6. Cooking Instructions using Electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot/Mealthy Pot
  7. -Set Instant pot/Mealthy pot with the inner liner pot and start heating the inner pot by selecting sauté mode on normal heat level.
  8. -When the screen displays hot add ghee to the inner pot then bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, star anise and all other crushed whole spices to the hot ghee. Give it a stir to get all spices infuse with ghee.
  9. -Then add all the nuts and roast for few sec.
  10. -Now add sliced onion and start caramelizing them stirring every few minutes interval.
  11. -Add 1 tsp of sugar and ¼ tsp of salt to the onions to expedite the process of caramelization of onions.
  12. -During caramelization of onions if you see onions are getting stuck to the bottom of the pot add 1-2 tbs of apple juice to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
  13. -Once the onions caramelize add rice, cranberries, fennel seeds powder, dry ginger powder, salt, saffron soaked in milk and apple juice give it a god stir to incorporate everything.
  14. -Cancel the sauté mode and set manual/pressure cook mode on high pressure for 4 minutes, NPR let the pressure release naturally.
  15. -Remove the lid and instantly add chopped apples, pomegranate kernels, chopped mint and chopped cilantro.
  16. -Put the lid back and let the rice rest and infuse all the flavors into all ingredients for 5 minutes and then fluff it gently.
  17. -Be gentle and take care to not break the grains of the rice.
  18. -Garnish with little more fresh coriander roasted nuts and serve hot.
  19. Stove top Instruction for Kashmiri pulao Recipe
  20. -Het a wide pan on medium heat on stove top and follow the above instruction until step 12 for cooking on stovetop method.
  21. -When cooking on a stove top the liquid ratio change. In this case rice to water ratio should be 1:1.75.
  22. -After adding apple juice give everything a good stir, cover the pan and let the pulao cook on medium low heat.
  23. -Cook for 10-12 minutes or till the 80% liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat.
  24. -Remove the lid and instantly add chopped apples, pomegranate kernels, chopped mint and chopped cilantro.
  25. -Put the lid back and let the rice rest and infuse all the flavors into all ingredients for 15 minutes and then fluff it gently.
  26. -Be gentle and take care not to break the grains of the rice.
  27. -Garnish with little more fresh coriander roasted nuts and serve hot.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
Flavorful and delectable Kashmiri Pulaodelicacy from the finest cuisine of India, loaded with nuts, flavored with saffron, whole spices and garnished with fruits. This royal Kashmiri Pulao recipe will enrich your palate with mildly sweet and tart flavors. Richness of ghee, warmth from saffron, whole spices and nuts make Kashmiri pulao a perfect choice to enjoy in cold weather. All in all, this instant pot pulao recipe is a great addition to any festive or holiday spread this season.