Basanti Pulav/ Bengali Misti Pulao

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 green cardamom
• 1 small stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 10 cashew nuts
• 10 kismis
• 1 tsp grated or finely chopped ginger
• as required Salt to taste

Steps

1. Wash rice and strain the water completely and spread it on a large plate or clean kitchen towel and let it dry completely.
2. Soak saffron in 1 tbsp milk. Make halves of cashew nuts.
3. Once rice dries completely, add turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and 1 tsp ghee in it. Mix it very carefully, as at this satge rice becomes brittle after dried and it may be broken.
4. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
5. Now heat rest of the ghee in nonstick pan, add all whole spices and saute till they turns aromatic. Further add cumin seeds and let it splutter, add cashew nuts and saute till it turns light brown. Lastly add kismis, in a few seconds it will be swallon and pop.
6. Now add marinated rice and mix well with very light hand. Again take care in mixing else rice grain will be broken.
7. After few seconds, add ginger and water. Rice water ratio should be 1:3. Add sugar too.
8. Once it starts boiling, cover the pan and slow down flame to simmer, till rice is properly cooked.
9. Once it cooked, lastly if you wish can add dollop of ghee for aroma.