Ingredients:
Almonds or Pistachios – 500 gms
Baking Soda – 1 tsp
Long Grained Rice – 1 kg
Salt as per taste
Onion – 1, finely sliced
Cardamoms – 8
Cloves -8
Cinnamon Sticks – 2 one inch
Ghee – 250 gms
Curd – 1/2 cup
Milk – 1/2 cup
Saffron – 1/2 tsp, ground with 1 tblsp milk
Water
Method:
1. Soak the almonds in warm water.
2. Remove skin and slice thickly.
3. Put the baking soda and a little water in a saucepan.
4. Boil nuts till they are soft and water dries up.
5. Heat ghee, fry nuts and remove to a plate.
6. Soak rice in salt water for 20 minutes and drain.
7. Fry onion with cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon in a tblsp of ghee.
8. Add 2 litres of boiling water and rice.
9. Stir.
10. When the rice is 3/4 cooked, drain out any water.
11. Remove half the rice.
12. Add sliced nuts, sprinkle half the curd and half the milk.
13. Cover with the rest of the rice.
14. Sprinkle saffron milk and curd on top.
15. Cover pan and let the rice cook in its own steam for 30 minutes on low heat.
16. Serve hot.
