- Dry roast 1-inch Cinnamon Stick, 4 Green Cardamom, 2 Black Cardamom, 1/4 Nutmeg aka Jaiphal, and also 1 Mace aka Javitri for 1 minute.
- Once cooled, make a powder of the roasted spices.
- 1 Tbsp. of the spice powder will be used in making the pulao.
- Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 minutes.
- After that, drain the water and keep the rice for 5 minutes.
- Now add 1 Tbsp. ghee and 1 tbsp. Pulao masala along with 1/2 Tsp. Salt to the rice.
- Mix lightly so that the rice is coated with the spices but not broken.
- Keep the rice for 5 minutes before cooking.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining ghee in a pan.
- Fry coconut slices as well as cashew nut and raisin and strain from the pan.
- Now temper remaining Ghee in the pan with the whole spices- Bay Leaf, Dry Red Chili, Sahi Jeera, Cinnamon Stick, Clove, Green Cardamom and also Black Cardamom.
- Now add the rice and on slow flame fry the rice for at least 3 minutes.
- By then the rice will be transparent in texture.
- At this point extract juice from the ginger paste and mix with the rice.
- Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of water.
Cooking Pulao in a Handi
- If cooking in a handi, transfer the rice to the handi and add 2 cups of coconut milk followed by sugar.
- Mix lightly and add water so that the water and milk level is 1.5 inches above the rice.
- Now add fried raisins, nuts, and also half of the fried coconut.
- Cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
- Check after 7 minutes whether the rice is properly cooked or not.
- Once cooked and there is no extra water, switch the flame off.
- Open the lid after 10 minutes.
Cooking Pulao in a Pressure cooker
- In case using a pressure cooker, you can do the entire frying in the cooker itself instead of using a pan separately.
- Add 2 cups of coconut milk followed by sugar.
- Mix lightly and add water so that the water and milk level is 1 inch above the rice.
- Now add fried raisins, nuts, and also half of the fried coconut.
- Cover with the lid with the weight on.
- Cook on medium flame till the cooker releases pressure once (one whistle).
- Switch the flame off.
- Open the lid once the cooker drops the pressure completely.
Cooking Pulao in a Rice cooker
- The process will be the same as the Handi.
- Only you need to cook using the electricity on the rice cooker.
Serving the Pulao
While serving, top coconut pulao with fried chunks of coconut.