Basanti Pulao | Pilau rice recipe | Bengali Mishti Pulao

Basanti Pulao | Pilau rice recipe | Bengali Mishti Pulao

Author: Rumki Paul
Course: Main
Cuisine: Bengali
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4-5 Persons

Basanti Pulao is a pure Bengali delicacy and one of the most famous pilau rice recipe in East India and Bangladesh. It is a fragrant sweet rice dish which is also known as Mishti Pulao. It is the combination of rice with some whole spices, ground spice, ginger paste and dry fruits and its prepared in Ghee (Clarified Butter). It is mostly served with Chicken Curry in ceremonies and for festive veg days it is accompanied with Chanar Dalna or Phulkofir Dalna.

Basanti Pulao is named so because of its beautiful yellow colour. In authentic Basanti Pulao, it is coloured with Saffron (Kesar). But now-a-days saffron is one of the costliest spices in the world and many restaurants replace this ingredient with yellow food colour. But in any normal Bong house, any artificial food colour is hardly found. So, for the home-made version, Turmeric powder is used to colour the pilau rice. In this case, though you would miss the flavour of Saffron but you would get the same attractive Yellow Pulao.

It is a very popular rice recipe among Bengalis. Any special occasion or ceremony is incomplete without this Sweet Yellow Rice. Bengalis have sweet tooth and they have special soft corner for sweets. But this Mishti Pulao is a real treat to everyone. The combination of this Sweet Yellow Rice with any Spicy Chicken Curry or Paneer Curry tastes and smells more than divine and its almost impossible to stop anyone to devour. The flavours start playing inside the mouth with every bite of it.

Basanti Pulao with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about Basanti Pulao.

Basanti Pulao is full of flavours and this traditional recipe is prepared with aromatic small grain Gobindobhog Rice. But, for the people who live outside the country, it is quite difficult for them to get this rice. In that case, you can replace Gobindobhog Rice with aromatic long grain Basmati Rice. Though the flavour of Basmati rice is different from Gobindobhog Rice, but it completely justifies and complements the dish.

What is Gobindo bhog Chaal (Rice)?

Basanti Pulao is very rich in texture and it is always prepared in Ghee (Clarified Butter). But now-a-days people have become a bit health conscious and they don’t prefer Ghee.

This pilau rice recipe can also be prepared in any edible oil but the flavour and taste of the dish would drop down. So, according to me, it is sometimes fine to cheat in diet while you are having Basanti Pulao. In this dish, mostly Cashew nuts and Raisins are used as dry fruits. Crunchy Cashew nuts give a nice flavour and texture to the dish and sweet Raisins enhance the taste of the Sweet Pulao.

Basanti Pulao is mostly flavoured with whole spices rather than ground spices. The combination of whole spices, Ghee and aromatic rice creates a heavenly flavour and fills the house with irresistible aroma during the time of cooking this dish.

Basanti Pulao – its popularity

Basanti Pulao – Utensils used to prepare

This pilau rice recipe is prepared in many ways in different types of utensils.

But personally, I recommend using non-stick Kadai with lid to prepare this delicious delight.

How to make Basanti Pulao?

In this preparation, I have used Basmati Rice to prepare this dish. In the UK, its quite difficult to get Gobindobhog Rice. But long Grained Basmati Rice gives fluffy texture and tempting look to the dish. You must try it once if you have not yet tried Basanti Pulao with Basmati Rice.

First, I have soaked the rice in normal water for 30 minutes. Then drained the water and kept aside.

Dry fruits are a very important element of the dish. I have used Cashew nuts and Raisins for the recipe. I have fried the Cashew nuts and Raisins in Ghee (clarified butter) and kept them aside before adding to the Pulao.

I have used Bay leaves, Cardamoms, Cloves and Cinnamon stick for the tempering of the dish. Then I have added Ginger paste and cooked it until the raw smell disappears. The flavour of Ginger goes amazing with the Rice recipe.

In this preparation, I have used Turmeric powder to colour the Pulao. It does not add any external flavour to the dish and gives a pleasant yellow colour to the dish. According to me, it is always better to use Turmeric powder than food colour in health perspective.

I have added water into the pan before adding rice. It helps the long rice grains to maintain its perfect texture. Then I have also added Sugar, Salt, Cardamom powder and Cinnamon powder into the water before adding rice.

I have added the rice while the water starts simmering. Then I have added the fried dry fruits and cooked the rice with lid.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of Basmati rice
• 1 ½ tablespoons Ginger paste
• 4-5 Cardamoms
• 6-7 Cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• Cinnamon Stick, 2 inches
• 3 tablespoons Raisins
• 4 tablespoons Cashew nuts
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
• 1/6 teaspoon Cinnamon powder
• 15 teaspoons Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Salt
• 3 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter) for cooking
• 5 and ½ cups of Water for cooking

1. Wash the Basmati rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
   

2. Strain the water and keep it aside.
   

3. Add 2 tablespoons of Ghee into the pan and let it melt.
   

4. Add Cashew nuts, Raisins into the pan.
   
   

5. Fry them in medium flame for a minute and keep them aside on a plate.
   

6. Add another tablespoon of Ghee into the same pan and let it melt.
   

7. Add Bay leaves, Cinnamon stick, Cardamoms, Cloves and let them crackle.
   

8. Put the flame in lowest and add Ginger paste.
   

9. Give a quick stir and cover the pan with lid or splatter guard immediately.
   

   Note: Its always better to use splatter guard or cover during the time of cooking the Ginger paste. Because the paste got the tendency to splatter initially during the time of cooking.
   

10. After a minute take off the splatter guard and stir the ingredients nicely.
11. Cook the Ginger paste until its raw smell goes away.
12. Add Turmeric powder and give a nice mix.
    

13. Add Water into the pan and put the flame in high.
14. Add Salt and Sugar into the water and stir well.
    
    

15. When the water simmers, put the flame in low.
16. Add Cinnamon powder and Cardamom powder into the water and mix nicely.
    
    

17. Add the fried dry fruits (Step 5) into the pan.
    

18. Add the soaked rice (Step 2) into the pan and give a gentle stir.
    
    

    Tip: Basmati rice is very delicate. Over mixing can break the rice. Always handle the rice with light hands.
    

19. Put on the lid of the pan and put the flame in medium high for 5 minutes.
    

20. Stir the rice very gently once or twice and cover the pan again.
    

21. Cook them in lowest flame for 8-10 minutes.Note: The duration of cooking may vary due to quantity, quality of rice and temperature of the hob. Always check the rice before switching off the flame.

22. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.
    

    Tip: After 10-15 minutes take off the lid and fluff the rice delicately with the help of a fork. Otherwise the rice may stick to each other when it will cool down.