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TAHIRI PULAO 

Mini-trivia: There is considerable confusion about the difference between pulao and biryani. In theory the differences are quite clear, but in reality there is a blurry or even overlapping boundary between them. The word pulao means many different things.

Pulao originated from Persia, when they discovered that adding butter to rice while boiling it gave a flavorful and aromatic rice with individual grains not sticking to each other. You still see the variety of Pulao in Iranian/Persian restuarants. It arrived in the Indian sub-continent and evolved in to a way of cooking rice by pre-frying it in ghee and subsequent cooking in the juices of vegetables and meat. The rice absorbs the flavor while it gets cooked. Now of course we Indians are incurable culinary experimenters and we added a lot more varieties. From the simple plain pulao, which needs a separate side dish to eat the rice with, to the heavy duty all in one Tahiri Pulao (this one) which rivals the Biryani. Biryani on the other hand is central asian in origin, and steams (dum) meat and rice together with heavy usage of spices. The rice and meat are pre-cooked to various degrees in different recipes. Together the mixture (in layers) undergoes steam aging. The flavor is absorbed, not the juices. There are many variations in Biryani too.

 

A few words about this recipe. Tahiri Pulao normally uses vegetables only. Some say that Tahiri was invented to satisfy Hindu noble men in the Mughal courts. The Mughals were very, lets say appeasing, to the Hindu nobles, who they needed to control their subjects. That is why you will rarely see Mughlai dishes with beef in it. But this version (like all the other dishes on this site) is from Bengali muslim families and we usually use beef. Regular muslim families, unlike the royal Mughals, eat beef regularly (because muslims are poor :( and mutton is expensive). Why is mutton expensive?? read my article on goat meat). Then why doesn't Hindu's eat beef as well?? read the end of my article on vegetarianism. There, I've answered all your questions, so lets get on with the recipe already!

 

 

INGREDIENTS

Basmati Rice - 500 gms

Mutton - 500 gms

Potato (medium) - 500 gms (sliced in half)

Green Peas - 1 cup

Onion - 200 gms (sliced)

Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp

Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Paste (without seeds) - 1 tbsp

Green Cardamom - 4 to 6

Cinnamon - 2"

Clove - 6 to 8

Bay Leaves - 2

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Refined Oil - 100 gms

Rose water - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

 

  

METHOD

1. Wash rice and soak for 1 hr.
2. Rub salt to potato pieces
3. Cut and wash mutton in medium size pieces
4. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and fry potatoes till light brown color. Drain and keep aside.
5. In the same oil fry onion till browned. Add mutton pieces, ginger garlic paste, chilli paste and half of whole spices. Fry for 10-15 minutes. Pour 1 cup water and 2 tsp salt. Cook until mutton becomes tender. Fry for another few minutes until oil separates.
6. In a heavy bottomed vessel (a dekhchi), heat 3 tbsp ghee and add remaining whole spices and rice. Fry for 4-5 minutes and add peas and 5 cup (1 lt) hot water and 2 tsp of salt.
7. When rice is half done, mix mutton and potato. Stir gently. Sprinkle rose water and 1 tbsp hot ghee. Cover and simmer (dum) for 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot with cucumber salad and/or tomatoes; or whatever the hell you like, what do I care!

 

Note: I have to admit, like the Biryani, this recipe takes serious effort. Follow the recipe very carefully, and don't rush, or you will miss something. If you are an inexperienced cook, this will be a good learning experience for you. It involves, frying, boiling, steaming, soaking, everything! In fact do it 2-3 times and invent your own variations. You will feel proud at the end :)