Chick-Peas Pulao

For the rice

1 1/2 teacups uncooked Basmati rice
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1 cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teacups milk
1 1/2 teacups water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the gravy

1 teacup chick peas (Kabuli chana)
1 pinch soda-bi-carb
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teacup fresh curds
1 teacup chopped tomatoes
2 chopped potatoes
3 chopped green chillies
3 tablespoons ghee
salt to taste

For the baking

2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 chopped green chilli
2 tablespoons fried onions
1/4 teacup milk with a dash of saffron

For the rice 

Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain. Mix the water and milk together. Add the cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt and rice and cook until almost done.

For the gravy
 
Soak the chick peas overnight. Next day, boil with a little water and the soda bi-carb. Drain. Heat the ghee, add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for a while. Add the chilli powder and the turmeric (in a little water) and fry for 1 minute. Add the curds, tomatoes, potatoes and green chillies and stir for a while. Add the chick peas and salt.
To the cooked rice, add the coriander, mint, green chillies and fried onions. Put one layer of rice in a big bowl and spread a layer of chick pea gravy on top. Make alternate layers of rice and gravy in this manner. Finally, sprinkle the saffron milk on top, cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 20 minutes. When baked, turn upside down in a serving dish and serve hot.

Yakhni Pulao Recipe

Ingredients

 

- 1 lb Meat (lamb or goat)

 

- 1 small Onion

 

- 6 flakes Garlic

 

- 1 inch Ginger

 

- 4 Green Chili

 

- 1 inch Cinnamon

 

- 2 cups, basmati Rice

 

- 4 flakes Garlic

 

- 6 Cloves

 

- 2 tsp Coriander Seeds

 

- 4 cups Water

 

- 1 inch Ginger

 

- 3 tbsp Ghee

 

- 1 large Onion

 

- 2 tsp Black Cumin Seed (Shahi Jeera)

 

- 2 inch Cinnamon

 

- 6 Cardamom

 

- 8 Cloves

 

- 3 tbsp Yogurt

 

- Salt to taste

 

- 3 sliced hard boiled Egg

Directions

1. NOTE: The ingredient lists consists of both the Yakhni and Rice. For the YAKHNI part the ingredients are from Mutton to Water. For the RICE part the ingredients are from Rice to salt.

2. FOR YAKHNI: Wash mutton. Cut into medium pieces.

3. Peel and quart onion. Cut chilies into big slices. Put all the ingredients from onion to salt (before rice) in a muslin bag.

4. In a saucepan, place mutton, the muslin bag, and water and slowly bring to a boil. Simmer gently till the mutton is almost done. Remove bag.

5. FOR RICE: Wash and drain rice. Grind garlic and ginger to a fine paste.

6. Heat the ghee. Fry the onion to rich brown and remove half for garnishing. Add the ground paste and all the dry spices. Fry for 2 or 3 minutes.

7. Add mutton from Yakhni and curd, fry till brown. Add rice, salt and fry for 5 minutes.

8. Add Yakhni (2 cups, use water if less yakhni) to soften rice. When rice is cooked, steam for about 5 minutes. Make sure not to over boil the rice. Keep on sampling the rice from time to time.

9. Garnish with browned onions and sliced eggs.