Banjara Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

4 cups Basmati Rice
2 cups Boneless Chicken Pieces
1 cup Coconut Milk
2 cups Onion Chopped
3 tblsp Minced Garlic
1 Lemon Zest
Same Lemon Juice
2 tsp Jeera Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
½ Bunch Palak
½ Bunch Fresh Methi Leaves
½ Bunch Dill (Soa Bhaji or Shepu Bhaji)
2 Green Chillies Chopped
3 tblsp Pure Ghee
1 tblsp Oil
Chicken or Veg Stock as per need
Salt as per taste

Notes:

You can use any other rice as per your choice.
Vegetarians can use mix veg, mushrooms, replacing the chicken.

Method

Soak rice for about 2 hour before preparing. Clean wash and chop all the greens finely and keep it aside.

Take a large stock pot and heat ghee & oil together. Add onions and fry until translucent. Add garlic, green chillies and saute for a minute and add all powder masalas. Add all chopped greens and saute until soft and translucent too. Add chicken pieces and saute until chicken pieces changes its color. (See Note).

Add coconut milk, seasoning as per taste, and stock upto half of the pot. Stir and bring the stock to boil. Once the stock starts boiling and chicken or (VEG) is almost cooked, strain the soaked rice and add it in the stock. Add lemon juice, lemon rinds and stir slowly with a slotted spoon, so that the rice does not stick to the bottom. Stir cook for few minutes checking the rice.

If it’s done up to 70%, adjust the stock if need and then cover the pot with a damp kitchen cloth and then with a lid. Put a heavy weight on the lid if possible (This step is Optional) This process is call (DUM). Simmer the heat and let it dum for 15 to 20 minutes.

After, uncover the the pot and check if the rice is done.  Stir the pulao upside down carefully, so that the top rice is mixed down and the bottom rice is brought up  removing extra steam from the pulao. This method stops the pulao to cook further and the rice is almost separated.

GarNICHE with Butter, Grated Paneer and Serve this pulao with any clear soup or choice of raita.