KANIKA, THE ULTIMATE SWEET PULAO FROM ORISSA and AWARDS

This sweet pulao,  among 56 items, is cooked every day for Lord jagannath, Puri. It is linked to my great childhood memories and often a party dish where my Vege and non vege friends gather. This is a safe dish as it is liked by every one from south to north and east to west.Of course this recipe has numerous variations and will be slightly different from the one we eat at Jagannath temple. But the recipe essentially remains same.

This recipe exclusively comes to you from SOMEONE, which she learnt from her MIL. (I generally dont make this, too simple for me. She wont read this blog anyway  ha  ha . I just need to report that the recipe has been given to all the foodie-friends..)

THE RECIPE: This variation of recipe is used generally in marriage , threading ceremony and in many festive occasions in Orissa. It is a sweet vege Pulao with  a strong fragrance of nutmeg, cardamom and clove. You can eat it with vege side dishes like the famous Besara, Mahura, chhinchaDa of Orissa, Dahi -Brinjal, Bengal gram dal, tomato / Mango chutney, Paneer etc and with all kinds of non vege dish from Mutton and fish.

INGREDIENTS

- Rice Basmati or any local rice with a fragrance, 3 cups ( standard tea cup of 150 ml capacity)

-Bengal gram dal 1/2 cup (approx)

-Sugar 1 cup ( you may use less)

- salt as required

-Raisins 25 gms approx

-water 6 cups

Turmeric powder 1 level tsp.( This is for coloring) 

-Ghee 3 tbsp ( you can add more or less,   (ghee is not absorbed in rice, it only coats)

Ghee 2 tbsp for garnish at the end ( you may skip this)

NOTE: Vegans can use hydrogenated oil like dalda or any smell-less white oil.

NOTE: You may add dry fruits like Cashew, sliced almonds. I dont use; as these have only decorative value here and do not add to flavor.

Spice -1

Bay leaf 3

Black cardamom 6

white cardamom 6

clove 6

Cinamon 11/2 inch broken

Spice-2

Nutmeg , one whole nut, freshly ground ( dont use, off the self Nutmeg powder)

Mace ( Jayatri) 1 piece , freshly ground 

( fine grinding is not necessary)

PROCESS

Wash the rice and soak for 30 minutes, remove from water and spread for drying ( surface moisture only)

Soak bengal gram for 1-2 hrs so that they swell up a bit.

Heat 6 cups of water close to boiling in a separate pan and keep covered. We will add hot water to the rice later..

Heat ghee in a thick bottom deep pan. (DO NOT OVER HEAT TO SMOKING) 

Remove from heat and fry the raisins , remove as soon as they swell up.

Return pan to burner and give seasoning with   bay leaf 

Add the bengal gram dal and stir fry for few minutes.

Add the rice and shift gently few times to mix. (DO NOT TRY to stir too much..it will break the soaked rice. This is true for all Pulao and fried rice cooking.)

Add the boiling water, turmeric and salt. Mix very gently, ( salt should be as much as for any other Pulao) 

Add all the spices under spice-1 above.

Bring to boil and cook covered. ( stir gently from time to time. Prevent foaming up by controlling heat at the beginning.)

When the rice is almost cooked, add sugar, raisins and mix gently but thoroughly. ( Dont add sugar at the beginning, the rice wont cook in sugar).

Add the Nutmeg and mace powder , ghee and mix and cover.

When water dries up, the dish is ready . Keep covered.

AMENDMENT.

 For my southern friends and people who are not supposed to take sugar.

SOMEONE  uses 3 rice 1 sugar..you can make with 3 rice and 1/2, 1/3. 1/4th sugar ( all measures in cup at your discretion).

 The fragrance of the raw spices makes all the difference....

AWARDS: 

I am proud and delighted to say that I have received not one but three awards from our great Blog friends. I am wondering if by not posting blog regularly, I am getting so many awards, what will happen when I post some ..I feel really good, Thank you so much, Padmaja, Chetana and Satya.

award from Padmaja Click here ( PJ of http://seduceyourtastebuds.blogspot.com/)

award from Chetana Click here (http://www.chetanaganatra.com/)

award from Satya Click here (http://superyummyrecipes.blogspot.com/)