Chicken pulao
Curries With Bumbi · ♥ 1.3K likes · 144.1K views · 11 min video
Read about whole bird in the BrightCulinary Book
Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
- 1 whole chicken chicken
Marinate the skinless bone-in chicken with the crushed black pepper, garlic paste and lemon juice for 30 minutes, or while the rest of the prep is done.
- ¼ tsp crushed black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 6 whole green cardamoms
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 blade mace
- nutmeg
For the pulao masala, stir the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and black peppercorns in a small pan on low heat a few seconds, then add the green cardamoms, cloves, a blade of mace and a tiny portion of nutmeg and stir a few seconds more.
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground mace
Cool the spices, then blend to a fine powder in a spice or coffee grinder. If using ground nutmeg and mace instead, add them after grinding.
Toasting and grinding the pulao masala
- 2 cup basmati rice
- 100 g plain unflavored Greek yogurt
Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear, soak 30 minutes exactly, then drain through a colander and leave it to sit.
- ¼ cup water
Mix most of the spice powder into the yogurt with about a quarter cup of water until there are no lumps, saving a teaspoon or two of the powder for later.
Spiced yogurt
- ¼ cup oil
- potatoes
Heat a quarter cup of oil in a wide heavy pot over medium and fry the potatoes on medium-high until golden brown, then lift them out.
- 3 whole dry red chilies
Fry the three dry red chilies for the smoky flavour they give the oil, then take them out and save them for the garnish.
- 2 whole dry bay leaves
- 1 tsp shahi jeera
Add the bay leaves, shahi jeera, green cardamoms, a small bit of cinnamon stick and the black cardamom.
- 4 whole green cardamoms
- cinnamon stick
- 1 whole black cardamom
- sliced onions
- ¼ tsp salt
Add the sliced onions and a quarter teaspoon of salt and fry on medium until soft and pale, not browned.
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry on medium-low 2 to 3 minutes, then add the chicken in a single layer and cook a few minutes a side on medium.
Onions, ginger-garlic and searing the chicken
Lower the heat, add the yogurt and stir continuously on low until it starts to bubble. It does not matter if it curdles in a preparation like this.
- 2 tsp salt
- carrots
Add two teaspoons of salt. When the oil leaves the sides, add the fried potatoes and the carrots.
- 1 cup hot water
Add a cup of hot water, cover and cook on medium-low 25 minutes, stirring at the 15 minute mark, then partially cover and cook 10 minutes more.
Potatoes, carrots and braising the chicken
- 2 cup chicken broth
Remove any cardamoms you can see, spread the drained rice gently over the chicken and add two cups of chicken broth, measured in the same cup as the rice.
Layering the rice with broth
Bring to a boil on medium without stirring, taste for salt and add half a teaspoon more if needed.
- ½ tsp salt
- whole green chillies
- chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- sliced tomatoes
- 1–2 tbsp ghee
Add the whole green chillies, chopped coriander leaves, about two teaspoons of lemon juice, sliced tomatoes and a drizzle of ghee. Cover and cook on low 10 minutes.
- 4 tbsp water
- frozen green beans
Taste the rice; if the liquid is gone and it is still chewy add about four tablespoons of water. Add the frozen green beans and move the rice gently with a spoon.
Take the pan off the burner and let it stand covered 20 to 30 minutes without lifting the lid; the residual heat fluffs the rice.
Fluff the rice gently from one side with a flat spoon or spatula so each grain stays separate. Serve with a raita and a simple salad of cucumber, onions and tomatoes.