Zafrani Pulao - Hyderabad Style

A very elegant and delicious pulao.. There are different kinds of the zafrani pulao - one is sweet and other is spicy.. I was in no mood for a sweet rice preparation. So I chose the savory version from here that I had bookmarked and served it with a Paneer dish. This is my choice for Z – Regional


Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cup
Almonds - 5 (thinly sliced)
Biryani Masala - 1/2 tea spoon
Shahi Jeera - 1 tea spoon
Butter - 1 table spoon + 1 table spoon
Cashew nut - 10
Ginger - 1 tea spoon (grated)
Garlic - 6 - 8 pods

Fried Onions - 1/4 cup
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Pomegranate Seeds - 2 table spoons
Saffron - 1/8 tea spoon
Salt - 1 tea spoon

Method
Wash the rice well and soak them in water for half an hour. Drain water and set aside
Heat a table spoon of butter and add shahi jeera and onions and salt and sauté until the onions are well done
Add ginger and garlic and biryani masala

Add 1/4 cup of coriander leaves and 1/4 cup of Mint Leaves and sauté for a minute
Add water and when it comes to a boil, add the rice and mix once well
Cook it covered until most of the water is absorbed
Add fried onions, saffron milk and pomegranate seeds
Top it with a table spoon of butter
Cover and let it cook on low heat for 5 minutes
Garnish with more coriander leaves and mint leaves
Serve hot!!

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