Kashmiri Pulao

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups long grained rice (basmati)
saffron (kesar) strands
2 tsp warm milk
1 1/2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp cashewnut halves
2 tbsp almond (badam) halves
1 tbsp raisins (kismis)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
1 small stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 cardamom (elaichi)
3 peppercorns (kalimirch)
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste
1/2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Method

Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Combine the saffron and warm milk in a small bowl, mix well and keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add the cashewnuts, almonds and raisins and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Drain, remove the nuts and keep aside.

In the same pressure cooker, add the cumin seeds, bayleaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and fennel seeds and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and chilli powder and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add the rice and salt and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add 1½ cups hot water, saffron-milk mixture and coriander, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Pressure cook it for 2 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

Add the prepared nuts evenly over the rice.

Serve hot.