Mutton Zaffrani Pilaf

Pilaf or Pulao is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. Sautéed onion, spices, vegetables, fish, meat and dry fruits are added depending upon the local cuisine. It is a common dish made in India, Bangladesh, Middle East and many other countries. 

This is an easy recipe. The dish has a mild flavor and taste of the spices and saffron. This dish can be made in various ways. This dish can be served with raita.

Ingredients

1 kg Mutton pieces

500 grams Basmati Rice

2 big size Onions sliced

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic crushed

1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste

2 Green Chillies cut into half

1 tsp Coriander leaves chopped

2 Bay leaves

6 Apricots

2 tsp Almond Flakes

1 tsp Raisins

1/4 tsp Saffron

1/4 cup hot Milk

Juice of 1 Lime

1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1 Star Anise

1 medium Cinnamon stick

4 Cloves

2 Green Cardomom

1 Mace

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Wash and soak the rice and keep it aside. Soak the Saffron and turmeric powder in hot milk, keep it aside. Take a big pot, add a tbsp of ghee and let it melt. Add the green cardomom, cinnamon stick, cloves and fennel seeds. Let it splatter. Add 1/2 the quality of the sliced onions, saute till pink in colour. Add the mutton pieces, salt, sugar and bay leaves, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add 2 liters of water, stir, cover and cook till the mutton has become tender. Remove the excess mutton broth if any and keep it aside and can be enjoyed as soup, as when we add the rice, it will cook in the broth, so the broth should be just enough to cook the rice. To be precise, there should be 4 1/2 cups of the broth. 

Take a wok, add the remaining ghee, let it melt. Add the remaining onion slices, fry the onions till golden brown in colour. Remove a tbsp of onion and keep it aside for garnishing. Add the 1 tsp almond flakes and raisins into the remaining fried onion slices. Stir for another minute. Add the ginger - garlic paste. Sauté for a minute. Add the fried onions, apricot, lime juice and nutmeg powder into the mutton broth. Adjust the salt. Drain the excess water from soaked rice. Add the rice, stir and let it cooked till 80 percent of the rice is cooked. Add the saffron milk. Stir the rice gently. Cover and cook till done. Before serving garnish with fried onions, pinch of saffron, 1 tsp almond flakes and coriander leaves. Serve it hot with raita.