It is the Yakhni or stock that gives the pulao its subtle taste. The spices cooked slowly in water release their own flavours which in turn flavours the rice.
Yakhni
Water - 2 lt
Ginger, grated - 2.5 cm
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Caraway seeds - 1 tablespoon
aniseeds - 1 tablespoon
Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
Pepper corns - 5
Cloves - 5
Green cardamoms - 5
Stick cinnamom - 4
Black cardamoms - 2
Dry red chillis - 2
Salt - to taste
Fish
Fish - 500 gm
garam masala powder - 1 tablespoon
Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Salt - 1 tablespoon
Large bread slices - 2
Oil for frying silver warq as needed.
Rice
Basmati rice - 500 gm
Ghee - 100 gm
Large onions - 2 finely and evenly sliced
Almonds - 15
Pistachios - 20
Pinch of saffron, soaked in 1/4 cup of hot milk.
Yakhni
Crush the spices a little and the loosely in a muslin cloth. Add to the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over a low fire till reduced to half, that is 1 litre. The water will look brownish.
Fish
Steam and debone the fish. Mash and add all the remaining ingredients except oil and warq. Knead to a smooth paste. Make small balls and deep fry till golden. Wrap a few balls in silver warq. Keep aside.
Rice
Wash the rice, spread on a tray to dry. Blanch the almonds and pistas, clean the sultanas.
Heat the ghee in a degchi and fry the onions, on medium heat, stirring till golden. Remove on to a piece of paper. So that extra fat can drain. Keep aside.
Fry the rice in the same ghee till opaque about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the yakhni heated and cover. Let cook on a low heat till the rice is almost done.
Add the fried onion, almonds pistachies, sultanas, Fish balls (except the silver coated ones) and saffron milk. Stir very carefully so that the rice and fish balls do not break. Reduce heat and shake the degchi occasionally till the rice is cooked.
Serve hot, garnished with the silver warq coated fish balls.
Variation
Prepare mince meat balls the same way and prepare meat moti pulao.
