Moti Pulao/ Pilaf (With Chicken Mince) By Aparna Bose

 

Rice is a comfort food for many people round the globe. Now imagine that rice with a blend of aromatic spices that tantalize your taste buds; and also melt-in-the-mouth pearl sized balls of chicken coming in with every spoonful — the total concept is simply irresistible. This is exactly what the Moti Pulao by Aparna Bose shall make you feel.

Aparna Bose is a home cook and also the Proprietor of Gograshe – a food catering organization.

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MOTIS (PEARLS)

  • Keema – 250 gms
  • Onion-Ginger-Garlic paste – 2 tbspn
  • Garam masala paste – 1tspn
  • Green chilli paste – as required
  • Black pepper powder – ½ tspn
  • Roasted cumin powder – 1tspn
  • Salt – as per taste
  • Besan (Bengal Gram Flour) – about three tbspn
  • Ghee – 1 tspn
  • Egg white – 1
  • Rose water – optional
  • Oil – for frying
  • Silver leaf or chandi ka warq for wrapping the meat balls or motis. (However, I have dusted the meat balls with generous measure of cashew powder (as I couldn’t source the silver leaves) to impart them the pearly lusture. Necessity as they say…… The overall effect is very impressive and tastes amazing.)

METHOD

  • Blend the meat into a smooth mixture with all the ingredients except besan , egg white and cashew powder.
  • Roast besan in ghee and mix with the mince mix.
  • Also add the egg white and shape the mixture into small balls.
  • Fry them evenly , nice and brown and coat them with cashew powder when slightly warm.
  • Keep them aside .

 

FOR THE PULAO

  • Rice – 1 ½ cups
  • Water – 3 cups
  • Warm milk – 1/4th cup
  • Saffron – few strands
  • Whole spices – 2 each of Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, Peppercorns
  • Methi (Fenugreek) powder – 1 generous pinch
  • Jaiphal (Nutmeg) powder – a pinch
  • Bay Leaves/ Tej patta – 4
  • Cumin – little
  • Yoghurt – 1 tbspn
  • Ghee- as required
  • Onion – 2 medium

 

METHOD

 

  • Soak the rice for 30 minutes and drain properly. Wash it nicely.
  • In a deep bottomed pan or kadhai, heat ghee and add the tej patta along with other spices and methi powder.
  • Once they start spluttering add the rice and stir nicely on a high flame.
  • At this stage , that is before adding the rice you can fry the onions and mix the beaten yoghurt. Or you can just mix rice and yoghurt and add the fried onions in the form of garnish later.
  • Once it starts emanating a pleasant aroma, pour water and let it come to a boil.
  • Now lower the flame and cover with a heavy lid.
  • After a few minutes check the rice.
  • Carefully stir the pulao , sprinkle the jayphal powder, add the milk with saffron strands soaking in it.
  • Again cover and cook till done. Layer the motis and pulao nicely in a serving dish taking care in arranging the top layer with caramelised onion and the pearls.