Kashmiri Pilaff Recipes

KASHMIRI PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Put rice in a bowl and cover with fresh water. Add saffron to hot milk and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan until it shimmers. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaf. Cook until it begins to be fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add onions and saute until they soften and turn golden, 4-6 minutes. Add almonds and raisins and cook another 2 minutes.
• Drain rice and add to pan. Stir 1-2 minutes until it begins to appear opaque. Add saffron and milk, water, figs and salt. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook 7-8 minutes. Taste; if rice is not quite cooked through, recover and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
• Season with black pepper. Add walnuts/pistachios and fluff rice with a fork as you stir them inches Let stand 4 minutes to absorb any remaining liquid; serve hot.

KASHMIRI CHICKEN, CARDAMOM AND SAFFRON PILAU: SPICED INDIAN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the basmati rice several times in cold water and drain in a colander - leave to dry.
• Heat half of the oil (1 tablespoon) in a large pan and add half of the onion (1 onion), the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Fry them over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces and brown them - turning them regularly to achieve a good colour all over.
• Add the saffron, boiling water, cardamom pods, mint, garam masala and cinnamon stick. Bring it all to the boil and then cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
• Transfer all the contents to a bowl and rinse out the pan.
• Add the remaining oil and onion to the pan and fry until the onion is lightly coloured. Add the rice and stir it well, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is opaque.
• Add the chicken mixture, tomatoes and sultanas - then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir gently, then shake the pan to level the ingredients.
• Add sufficient boiling water to come about 3/4" above the rice mixture. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook gently over a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has all been absorbed.
• Discard the cinnamon stick and transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve immediately.

KASHMIRI CHAI RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Add the cardamom pods to a mortar and crush with a pestle into small pieces.
• Add the room temperature water, Kashmiri tea leaves, crushed cardamom, star anise pods, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the baking soda (it will fizz and bubble) and reduce the heat to medium. While boiling, use a ladle to scoop some liquid from the pot and pour it back in from as high as you can without splattering (the aeration of the liquid helps give the tea its pink hue). Continue until the liquid is reduced by half, 7-10 minutes.
• Add the ice water and continue to aerate the tea with the ladle for another 2 minutes. Add the milk, half-and-half, sugar, and salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, remove the pot from the heat and steep for another 3 minutes.
• Strain the chai through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof spouted measuring cup, making sure to squeeze out all the liquid. Discard the solids.
• Divide the chai between 3 mugs and top with the crushed pistachios and almonds. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

KASHMIRI MIXED VEGETABLE PILAF

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the Kashmiri masala. Heat the oil (or ghee) in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin, cloves, fennel, bay leaves, and asasfoetida they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the potatoes and cook, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes.2. Add the rice and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, then add the carrots, cauliflower, and peas. Cook a few minutes, then mix in the tomatoes, green chili pepper, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and salt and cook, stirring, another 3 to 5 minutes.3. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until the rice is done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it is cooking. Remove from heat, lightly mix the cilantro, then allow the rice to rest about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, fluff with a fork and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.