India · Meat Dishes
Meat Pulao
Meat pulao (also spelled pilau, pulav, or pilaf) is an Indian one-pot rice dish: basmati rice cooked in the stock of lamb or beef with onion, ginger, garlic, and whole spices.
Ingredients
- lamb or beef on the bone (shoulder or ribs), cut into 4–5 cm pieces600 g
- basmati rice300 g
- large onion (about 200 g), thinly sliced1
- garlic cloves, grated2
- fresh ginger, grated2 cm
- ghee or butter3 tbsp
- hot water or broth700 ml
- salt, divided2 tsp
- coriander seeds1 tsp
- cumin seeds1 tsp
- black peppercorns0.5 tsp
- cloves2
- cinnamon stick (5 cm)1
- bay leaf1
- green cardamom pods3
- saffron threads (or 1/4 tsp turmeric)1 pinch
Method
- 1Heat the ghee in a wide heavy pot over medium heat and fry the sliced onion for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until deep golden. Add the grated ginger and garlic for 1 minute, then the meat, and brown it for 5–7 minutes.
- 2Add the whole spices: coriander and cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cardamom pods. Stir for 1–2 minutes until you can smell them.
- 3Pour in 700 ml hot water, add 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Skim, cover, and simmer on low for 50–60 minutes, until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone. Meanwhile rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs clear, soak it for 30 minutes, and drain well.
- 4Lift the meat out and measure the stock: you need 520 ml. Boil it down if there is more, add water if there is less, and taste it: it should be slightly too salty. Return the meat, bring to a boil, and stir in the drained rice, the remaining 1 tsp salt, and the saffron softened in 2 tbsp of the stock (or the turmeric). Level the rice, let it boil until the liquid is level with the rice, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 12–15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
- 5Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork, lifting from the bottom without breaking the grains. Serve with yogurt and a fresh salad.