Kheema Masoor Pulao

Kheema Masoor Pulao is a popular dish in Afghan cuisine, is a perfect recipe for the combination of lentil and mincemeat as you can add any mincemeat beef, mutton, chicken, or soya mince. A unique and tasty of this pulao recipe. This rice is first half cook, and then layering like briyani, with some stock and then cook at low flame / over bake in the oven, this method creates the rice to be fluffy with each grain separated, they cook rice in varieties, pulao like Kabul Pulao it is a national dish with meat & stock is added same like Kheema and Massor, add saffron to create elaborate colors.

This pulao I had for the first time, earlier I had Middle East Cuisine, Rice with Masoor Dal, with tomato gravy, but this pulao I had for the first time,  and the lovely combination took me by surprising me with masoor dal cooked along with potatoes, with all spices and kheema cooked separately, and then layering, it’s a lovely combination, it is similar to briyani, mince with pasta, lasagne layering, do try this recipe for you family and friend and sure they will impress and ask for more.

When I came across “Saman’s”, Kheema Masoor Pulao recipe in the food group, I was impressed and wanted to try to add to my list and really it worth trying, every layer is flavor with spices, and the aroma just loves, every bit just relish with pair with mint raita and lime lemonade.

Author: Linda

Ingredients:

1 Kg Basmati rice

500 gm Kheema (Beef/ Mutton)

250 gm Whole Masoor Dal (cover one wash and soak for ½ hrs.)

4 potatoes, chopped into a big chunk

1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves – Chopped fine

1 Cup Fresh Coriander Leave – Chopped fine

3  Tomatoes – Chopped fine

4  Large Onions – Chopped fine

4 tbsp. Ginger & Garlic paste

1 cup whipped yogurt

2 tbsp Coriander pwd.

2 tsp red chilly pwd.

1 tsp turmeric pwd.

1 tbsp Green Chilies – Chopped fine

4 drops of saffron liquid. (As required)

1 tsp garam masala pwd

Whole garam masala for Kheema

(1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, and ½ tsp cumin)

Whole garam masala for Rice

(1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, and ½ tsp cumin)

Roasted Masala Pwd.

Fennel, Coriander, cumin: Equal Proportions

2 tbsp. Roasted masala Pwd.

Stock Instructions: 

½ liter stock or more (In 1-liter water add 2 white onions, 8-10 garlic cloves, 3 inches grated ginger, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp fennel seeds. Boil this with the lid on. Strain and keep the stock covered in a pot to be used in cooking the pulao.

Salt to taste

Ghee/Oil

Instructions for Kheema :

Take a bottom pot, heat oil at medium heat, add some whole garam masala (1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, and ½ tsp cumin) Let this splutter.

Add 2 chopped onions and sauté till it turns translucent, add kheema,  ½ tbsp chopped green chilies & incorporate well, add the roasted masala powder and cook for a few minutes.

Now add 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste along with the whipped yogurt, chili powder, and salt, incorporate well, when almost done, add some chopped fresh mint and cook for a 2 minute, close the flame.

Method for whole Massor dal :

Take a bottom pot, heat oil at medium heat, add ½ tsp cumin, let it crack, add remaining chopped onions and sauté till it turns translucent, add chopped tomatoes, ½ tbsp chopped green chilies, remaining ginger garlic paste (2 tbsp) along with coriander powder, red chili powder, salt, and turmeric.

Cook this masala till oil separates, now add dal (drain the water of dal), along with potatoes.

Pour half the stock in this and let the dal & potatoes cook at low flame, close the lid,

In between stir the dal & potatoes don’t cook too mushy, it should have a bit, add garam masala pwd, at last when almost dal and potatoes tender, close the flame.

Method for Rice :

Take a bottom pot, add the remaining stock, add salt, add whole garam masala. Let it boil add rice and cook till it’s 80% done. Strain the water and keep it aside.

Assemble the Pulao :

Take a Cook rice and separate into two bowls add some saffron on one rice and one bowl keep plain white rice.

Take a bottom pot, add some oil to the base, spread a layer of rice, another layer of kheema, add some freshly chopped coriander and fresh mint, add 3 tbsp of stock (that it seeps through Kheema) on the rice layer, add saffron rice, add a layer of cooked masoor dal, add chopped fresh mint & coriander, again a stock same as above.

Assemble the remaining rice with the above method till all rice is done (take care don’t add too much stock as you want to cook the rice on the stem(dum), if you add too much stock, this will infuse the flavors from the stock, switch on the flame at low, Cover it and simmer cook on very low heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

Ingredient for Mint Raita

1 Cup chilled yogurt

1 Big cucumber – Peel and Chopped

2 Green Chilly – Chopped fine

1 medium tomato – Chopped fine

4 Fresh Mint Leaves

1 Onion – Chopped fine

Salt to taste

Method :

Take a blender a green chilly, mint leaves, and 1 tbsp. of yogurt and blend for a second, take a bowl, add yogurt, add all chopped ingredients (tomato, onion, cucumber) add the blended paste of mint and green chilly, and incorporate well & Serve with kheema masoor pulao.

Lime Lemonade

2 Lime / Lemon – Juice

4 Fresh Mint – Chopped fine or big

4 cup water

2 tbsp Honey

Some slice of lime/lemon for garnish

Method :

Take a pitcher add the chopped mint, lime/lemon juice, honey, add chilled water & give a good stir and take a tall glass and relish the refreshing beauty.  With Kheema Masoor Pulao.

Serving the rice take a plate, take a rice spoon flat one, and take the rice of one layer but gently take the rice, take care that the grain should not break, serve with Mint Raita & Chilled Lime Lemonade,  & relish every bit of the Kheema Masoor  Pulao.

Note :

Gently mix the rice with a fork, see that the grain doesn’t break, or take a rice flat spoon, take the rice from one whole layer it depends on how each desire.

Can also garnish with golden brown onion and also can use for layering, as each desire.

Tip from Saman  – If you cook the rice only in the stock like a traditional pulao, the appearance will change, the texture too and the results will not be as good. I have tried both ways and found this to be a bit cumbersome but with great results. Add some orange food color.(Optional)

Don’t throw away the onions after making stock,  Make a paste and cook a few pieces of chicken with just some salt, green chilies, and yogurt. Turns out delish.

Love Linda

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