Punjabi Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg Basmati Rice (Washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
• 750 g Chicken (Bone-in pieces preferred for flavor)
• 3 Onion (2 for Step 1, 1 chopped for Step 3)
• 250 g Oil (Used for frying and cooking)
• 250 g Yogurt (Plain yogurt)
• 8 Green Chillies (Some chopped, some for garnish)
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste (Full tablespoon)
• 1 tbsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
• 0.5 tbsp Zeera Powder (Cumin powder)
• 0.5 tbsp Garam Masala Powder
• 0.5 tbsp Dhania Powder (Coriander powder)
• 1 tbsp Whole Zeera (Cumin seeds)
• Cinnamon (Darcheeni sticks)
• 6 Cloves (Long)
• 1 Black Cardamom (Bdi ilaichi)
• 7 Black Peppercorns
• 750 ml Water
• Fresh Coriander (For garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash 1/2 kg of rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, then soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes a deep golden brown color.

3. 3

   Add the whole spices (cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, and black peppercorns) to the oil and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Add the chicken pieces to the pot and cook until the chicken is tender and well-browned.

5. 5

   Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes to remove the raw smell. Add the yogurt, chopped green chillies, salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and coriander powder. Mix well to coat the chicken in the spices.

6. 6

   Pour in 750 ml of water and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

7. 7

   Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Garnish the top with fresh coriander and additional green chillies.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and allow the rice to steam (dum) for 10 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy.

Notes

The recipe specifies 250g of oil in Step 3, which is quite high for 1/2kg of rice; users may wish to adjust this based on personal preference. Ensure the onions are properly browned as this provides the characteristic color of Punjabi Pulao.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Chicken
• Rice
• Punjabi
• One-Pot Meal
• Spicy