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Kofta pullao

Spiced rice baked in layers with paneer-potato koftas in tomato gravy

A rich party pullao: cardamom-and-cumin rice baked in layers with crisp paneer and potato koftas simmered in a tangy tomato and curd gravy. The top is scattered with browned onions and fried cashews. Serve hot with masala yogurt.
Total time
145 min
Difficulty
hard
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the rice

For the kofta

For the gravy

To garnish

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (9)

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Method

0/9 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy pan and add 2 tsp cumin seeds and 4 green cardamoms.

  2. Step 2: Add 1 tsp garlic paste and fry 1 medium onion until light golden.

    4 min
  3. Step 3: Add the drained 6 oz basmati rice, ½ tsp ground cinnamon and clove mix, 2 cups water and 1 ½ tsp salt. Cover and cook on a low heat until the rice is tender but firm. Take off the heat.

    15 min
  4. Step 4: Mix 3 ½ oz paneer, 2 medium potatoes, 2 onions, 2 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tbsp cornflour, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp green chilli paste, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice. Shape into small round balls.

  5. Step 5: Heat oil, for deep frying and deep fry the koftas in batches until golden. Drain and keep aside.

    10 min
  6. Step 6: Blend 4 tomatoes, ½ cup curd (plain yogurt), 2 onions, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp green chilli paste, 2 tbsp coriander seeds and ¾ tsp salt to a smooth paste.

  7. Step 7: Heat 2 tbsp oil, add the gravy and cook for about 10 minutes, until thick and the oil starts to separate. Add the koftas.

    10 min
  8. Step 8: Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread half the rice in a baking dish, spoon over the kofta mixture and top with the remaining rice.

  9. Step 9: Garnish with 1 tbsp browned onions and 1 tbsp fried cashew nuts, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot with masala yogurt.

    30 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
430 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
23 g
Fibre
5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does kofta pullao take?
About 145 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of basmati rice?
Any long-grain rice, same amount.
What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).

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