Name: Kashmiri Pulao
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1½ cups rice · 3 adult servings + toddler
Cuisine: Indian (Jain)
Ingredients: 1½ cups Basmati rice, aged; 1¾ cups Water; 4½ tbsp Milk, warm; 3 pinches Saffron strands; ½ tsp Salt; 1½ tbsp Sugar (optional); 1 Bay leaf; 4 Green cardamom; 6 Cloves; 1 inch Cinnamon stick; 1 Black cardamom; ¾ tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera); 3½ tbsp Ghee; ¾ tsp Fennel seeds, crushed; ¾ tsp Dry ginger powder; ⅛ tsp Hing; 12–15 Cashews, split; 1½ tbsp Raisins; ⅓ cup Pomegranate arils; ¾ cup Apple + pineapple, diced; 1–2 tbsp Boiled carrot or potato (toddler)

Pilaf

Kashmiri Pulao

◆ Soak: 30 min ◆ Cook: ~30 min (Instant Pot) ◆ 1½ cups rice · 3 adult servings + toddler

~9g protein per adult serving — pair with raita, dal or a paneer sabji

Ingredients

Rice & liquid

Basmati rice, aged1½ cups
Water1¾ cups
Milk, warm4½ tbsp
Saffron strands3 pinches
Salt½ tsp
Sugar (optional)1½ tbsp

Whole spices

Bay leaf1
Green cardamom4
Cloves6
Cinnamon stick1 inch
Black cardamom1
Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)¾ tsp

Ghee & ground spices

Ghee3½ tbsp
Fennel seeds, crushed¾ tsp
Dry ginger powder¾ tsp
Hing⅛ tsp

Nuts & fruit

Cashews, split12–15
Raisins1½ tbsp
Pomegranate arils⅓ cup
Apple + pineapple, diced¾ cup
Boiled carrot or potato (toddler)1–2 tbsp

Method

1 Prep & soak

Rinse rice (1½ cups) in several changes of water until mostly clear
Soak in fresh water for 30 min, then drain completely
Warm milk (4½ tbsp) for 20–30 sec; stir in saffron (3 pinches) and set aside
Coarsely crush fennel seeds (¾ tsp)
Dice the apple and pineapple (¾ cup); refrigerate until serving

2 Fry nuts, then spices

Set Instant Pot to Sauté; heat ghee (1½ tbsp)
Fry cashews (12–15) until light golden, about 1 min
Add raisins (1½ tbsp); fry 15–20 sec until plump
Remove both to a plate and set aside for garnish
Add ghee (1 tbsp), then bay leaf (1), green cardamom (4), cloves (6), cinnamon (1 inch), black cardamom (1) and caraway (¾ tsp)
Stir 20–30 sec until fragrant; don't let them darken
Add the crushed fennel seeds (¾ tsp), dry ginger powder (¾ tsp) and hing (⅛ tsp); stir 10 sec

3 Roast rice & pressure cook

Add the drained rice (1½ cups), salt (½ tsp), sugar (1½ tbsp) and ghee (1 tbsp)
Fry gently 2–3 min until grains look dry and smell nutty
Pour in the saffron milk and water (1¾ cups); scrape the bottom clean
Taste the water — it should be lightly salty
Lock the lid, seal the valve, Pressure Cook on High (5 min)
Natural release (5–6 min), then vent
Open and fluff gently with a fork

👶 Toddler — scoop after fluffing, before garnish

Scoop about (½ cup) pulao into a small bowl before any garnish goes on
Pick out every whole spice: bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon
Optional: stir in finely diced boiled carrot or potato (1–2 tbsp)
Top with cashews (2) crushed to coarse crumbs and chopped raisins (1 tsp)
Add finely diced apple and pineapple (2 tbsp)
Let it cool to warm before serving

4 Garnish & serve

Transfer the adult pulao to a serving bowl
Top with the set-aside cashews (10–13) and raisins (1 tbsp + ½ tsp)
Scatter pomegranate arils (⅓ cup) and diced apple and pineapple (½ cup + 2 tbsp)
Serve warm; store leftover rice plain in the fridge and add fruit fresh to each serving
Reheat with a splash of water in the microwave

Tip Water ratio assumes aged basmati in the Instant Pot; on the stovetop use 3 cups and cook covered on the lowest heat. Best with a pomegranate raita.