Komola Pulao (Narangi Pulao or Orange Pilaf)
Komola Pulao. Basmati rice cooked in orange juice. The fragrance of green cardamom and cinnamon. The heat of black peppercorn. The tart of orange zest. The sin of fried cashewnuts and plump raisins. And that blissful kiss of saffron.
This is food heaven !!!
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 3 cups orange juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp cashew nuts fried
- 3 tbsp raisins soaked in water
- 1.5 tsp ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2-3 green cardamom
- 2 one inch cinnamon stick
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tbsp milk
- few strands of saffron
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp oil
- sugar to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the rice for 30 odd minutes. Wash properly, drain the water, keep aside.
- Soak the saffron strands in warm milk, keep aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep bottomed pan. Fry the cashew nuts till light brown . Take it out on a kitchen absorbent towl.
- Add rest of the oil and 1 tbsp ghee to the pan. Throw the bay leaves, crushed cinnamon, cardamom and black peppercorn, saute till the spices start to release their aroma.
- Add ginger paste and sauté for a while.
- Add the rice, turmeric powder and a sprinkle of salt, mix well, saute for a minute or two.
- Pour in 1 cup of warm water and 3 cups of orange juice . Cook over a medium flame.
- When the rice is about 80% done, throw in the fried cashewnuts and raisins, sprinkle in the fresh ground black pepper powder, salt and sugar. Give a gentle stir, you would not want to break the rice grains.
- Adjust seasonings. Cook till the rice is 90% done and the water has almost been absorbed. Do not over-cook the rice.
- Switch off the flame, add the saffron soaked milk and the remaining ghee, sprinkle in the orange zest. Fluff the rice gently using a fork.
- Cover the pan, leave it to rest over the hot oven for a further 15 minutes. Serve hot.