Shehenshahi Parsi Keema Pulao Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 250 grams Mutton minced
• 2 Onions finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Ginger paste/grated
• 2 tablespoons Garlic crushed
• 4 Green Chillies
• 2 tablespoons Curd (Dahi / Yogurt) (sour curd is preferred)
• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 2 tablespoons Ghee
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
• 4 Cloves (Laung)
• 4 Whole Black Peppercorns
• 2 Bay leaves (tej patta)
• 1/2 teaspoon Ajwain (Carom seeds) (Shahi jeera)
• 2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
• 1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
• 2 Star anise
• 2 Green Chillies
• 1/2 cup Mint Leaves (Pudina)
• 1/2 cup Coriander (Dhania) Leaves
• 6 Cashew nuts toasted/fried in ghee
• 6 Sultana Raisins toasted/fried in ghee
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Saffron strands soaked in milk
• 3 Whole Eggs boiled and cut into half
• 1/2 cup Onions thinly sliced and fried

Steps

1. To begin making the Shehenshahi Parsi Keema Pulao recipe, wash keema nicely under running water and collect in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Wash and soak rice in water for 40 to 45 minutes before cooking.
3. Heat oil in a wokor a thick bottomed biryani handi and add whole spices including cloves, whole black peppercorns, bay leaves, ajwain, cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise and wait till they crackle.
4. Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for a while. Add in the chopped onions and fry till they are golden in colour.
5. Add in the mutton keema and mix well. Cook on high flames for a while till the moisture from the keema evaporates.
6. Once the keema starts to look dry, add in whisked curd and mix well.
7. Season with salt, stir and cook with lid closed till the minced meat is cooked properly. The keema will look watery hence no need to add any extra water.
8. Once the keema looks cooked and mutton is tender, add in red chilli powder, green chillies, coriander powder and mix well.
9. Fry everything together till oil starts leaving from sides. Keep the consistency of keema semi dry and turn off the gas.
10. In a separate thick bottomed handi, heat water double the quantity of rice and add salt and lemon juice to it.
11. Once the water starts getting hot, add soaked rice and cook till its 95% cooked.
12. Turn off the gas and strain the rice and collect them on a wide tray. Spread the rice and allow it to cool. Don't mix the rice else the grains may break.
13. Once the rice are warm, layer them over the cooked keema and add pure ghee all over.
14. Garnish with green chilies, coriander, mint, boiled eggs, fried cashews and raisins, fried onions and saffron soaked milk for color.
15. Cover the handi with a foil and seal from sides. Put on a heavy lid and keep the pulao on dum for another 15 to 20 minutes.
16. Serve Shehenshahi Parsi Keema Pulao along with Burani Raita and a roasted papad for weekend night dinners or you can also serve this for your house parties.