Chicken Pulao, East Indian Style

Recipe adapted from Chicken Biryani recipe from “The East Indian Cookery Book”

• 1 1/4 cups Basmati rice, washed 3 times and soaked for 20 mins
• 500 g Chicken thigh, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup Frozen mixed vegetables (I used a mixture of peas, carrots, corn, capsicum)
• 10 Peppercorns
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1-3 Green chillies (depending on how spicy your chillies are and your heat preference)
• 1/2 inch Ginger
• 1/2 Tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 Tbsp Coriander powder
• 2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or 1 1/2 table salt)
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Green cardamoms
• 2 Black cardamoms
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• Juice of half a lime
• Fried shallots (optional)

How to put this together:

1. Pound together peppercorns + garlic + green chillies + ginger + cumin seeds
2. Heat oil, add onions, fry until soft & translucent
3. Add the pounded mixture, fry until fragrant
4. Add chicken pieces. Fry for a few minutes until slightly brown.
5. Add chilli powder + coriander powder + salt. Fry until fragrant
6. Add cloves + green caradmoms + black cardamoms + bay leaves + cinnamon stick. Fry until fragrant.
7. Add 1 cup water + frozen vegetables. Cook for a few minutes until chicken is cooked and little curry sauce is left
8. Add lime juice. Taste, add more salt and lime juice if required.
9. Add 2 cups water + drained rice. Mix well and cook on high heat
10. When it’s boiling, put the lid on and turn the heat down to very low. Keep for 10 mins.
11. Turn off heat. Leave the lid closed for 5 mins.
12. Serve hot, with fried shallots on top (opional)