मोती पुलाव ( Pearl Pilaf) is a classic one pot meal where Pearl shaped mutton balls are placed over the spiced and aromatic rice. I owe this timeless recipe to my dearest aunt who herself is a living culinary legend. She is a treasure of lost recipes and hence I thought of celebrating few of her splendid recipes by travelling back in time for gastronomical experience so that it may be preserved for the next generation. My Chachi  (Aunt) is a perfectionist and I hope to keep the मोती ( Pearl ) of her cuisine shining high. It might appear to be a complicated dish but believe me , it is worth all the hard work.   Happy cooking !!!

Ingredients:

For the pulao

Basmati rice :750 gms ( Soaked for about half an hour)

Saffron  :12 string soaked in 4 tsp of lukewarm milk

Kewra (केवड़ा) essence :½ tsp 

Rose water: 1 tsp 

Ghee :2 tsp 

Onion : 2 thinly sliced

Onion : 2 roughly sliced

Shah jeera :2 tsp

Cinnamon stick :2

Bay leaf  : 5 to 6

Salt : as per taste

For mutton balls

Mutton mince 300 gms

Onion : 2 diced

Bay leaf 3 to 4

Black cardamom 2

Green cardamom 2

Ghee :4 tsp ghee

Salt as per taste

Silver vark : as required

For grinding

Green chilli : 8

Garlic pod :12

Ginger : 2 inch

Black cardamom :1

Green cardamom :2

Cinnamon stick:2

Coriander seed :1 tsp

Step 1

Deep Fry sliced onion . Take it out in an absorbent paper and keep it aside.

Step 2

Grind together garlic ,green chilli,, ginger and whole garam masala into a smooth paste.

Step 3

Mix the paste along with keema and salt. Here I have also grinded the mutton mince so that the it may be easy to make a ball out of it.

Step 4

Make small balls out of the keema.

Step 5

Take water in a cooking vessel and add bay leaf, onion, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, ghee and salt. Water level should be such that the balls soaks into it. First let the water come to a boil. Once hot gradually place the koftas one by one into the water. At this stage do not stir the koftas and let it poach in the water until it completely dries up.

Step 6

Once the ball becomes dry and firm, add a tsp of ghee and stir it until it gets a nice colour and coating over it.

Step 7

Take the balls out and coat the balls with silver vark. keep it aside.

Step 8

Wash and soak rice for at least half an hour. Later strain out the water and spread it out.

Step 9

Take a cooking vessel and add 2 tsp of ghee into it. Once hot add the shah jeera along with bay leaf , garam masala and onion.

Step 10

Add the rice and Fry them all properly.

Step 11

Now add the water accordingly and cover it. Let it Cook on low flame. 

Step 12

When ¾ done, open the lid and add the kewra, rose water and saffron milk. Place the Pearl over the top and sprinkle the fried onion over it.

Step 13

Cover the pan and place it on the top of a tawa. Lower the flame and let it Cook for another 10 minutes or until all the aroma infuses in the rice.

Step 14

Serve it hot along with raita.

Tip:

One needs to be a little careful while using the vark as it may stick on the hands while applying it.

Use dropper to infuse the kewra and rose water into the rice. This technique enables the fragrance to infuse uniformly in the pulao.