Basanti Pulao
- 50 min
- mild
- Serves 4
Basanti pulao, a sweet yellow Bengali rice with basmati, ghee, turmeric, sugar, cashews and raisins. Mild, serves 4, about 50 minutes plus soaking.
Good for: Party
Ingredients
- Water, For Soaking500 ml
- Ginger, Paste15 grams
- Basmati Rice300 grams
- Ghee3 tbsp
- Cinnamon3 grams
- Green Cardamom2 grams
- Cloves1 grams
- Bay Leaves1 grams
- Cashew (half)30 grams
- Raisins30 grams
- Green Chilli, Slit10 grams
- Turmeric Powder1.5 grams
- Water, For Cooking550 ml
- Sugar60 grams
- Salt1¼ tsp
- Garam Masala Powder0.7 grams
Contains: milk, cashew or other tree nuts.
Nutrition
Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.
| Nutrient | Per 1 person | All 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 500kcal | 2000kcal |
| Protein | 8g | 32g |
| Carbohydrate | 84g | 337g |
| Fat | 16g | 63g |
| Fibre | 2.4g | 9.6g |
| Sugar | 20g | 80g |
Method
Get the ingredients ready. Rinse the rice until the water is almost clear, soak it for 20 minutes, then drain it well. Peel and crush the ginger to a paste and slit the green chillies.
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy kadai on low flame for 1 minute until melted and hot. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, cashews and raisins. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the cashews are light golden and the raisins puff up, then remove the cashews and raisins to a plate.
Add the ginger paste and green chillies to the same kadai. Fry on low flame for 1 minute until the raw smell of ginger goes. Add the turmeric and mix for a few seconds.
Add the drained rice and fry gently for 2 minutes until the grains are coated with ghee and turn yellow. Pour in 550 ml water and add the sugar and salt. Bring it to a boil on high flame for 3 to 4 minutes until bubbling, then cover and cook on low flame for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked but not mushy.
Turn off the flame and rest the covered pulao for 5 minutes until the grains are firm and separate. Add 1 tbsp ghee and the garam masala, then fluff gently with a fork without breaking the rice.
Add the fried cashews and raisins. Mix lightly and serve hot.
Before you start
- How long does Basanti Pulao take?
- 50 minutes from start to finish. That is 15 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking.
- How many people does Basanti Pulao serve?
- 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
- Is Basanti Pulao vegetarian?
- Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
- Is Basanti Pulao spicy?
- It is mild: 1 on our scale of 3. Chilli scales gently when you change the servings, so doubling the recipe does not double the heat.
- What do I need to make Basanti Pulao?
- 15 grams Ginger, 300 grams Basmati Rice, 3 grams Cinnamon, 2 grams Green Cardamom, 1 grams Cloves, 1 grams Bay Leaves, and a few more listed on this page.
- Do I need a pressure cooker for Basanti Pulao?
- No, it is cooked in an open pot.
- How many calories are in Basanti Pulao?
- About 500 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.
Tips from other cooks
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