Second year at IHM Chennai meant the Quantity Training Kitchen — QTK. This was where Indian cuisine lived. No more French stocks or mother sauces. This was dal, biryani, curries, regional recipes from across the country. A Tamil Nadu college teaching the food of the whole of India.
Chef Senthil taught us Kashmiri Pulao. He was a Tamil chef — how he came to know Kashmiri cuisine so well I never asked. What I know is that what he made in that QTK kitchen was the real thing, because I had tasted it before and I recognised it immediately.
Chef Senthil was one of those people who made an impression that stayed. When we were in third year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He fought it and he came back. He is still a chef today. We are glad he is here.
My dad's colleague's son got married in Mumbai when I was still in school. The reception was enormous — Italian, Chinese, North Indian, South Indian, Indian sweets, everything you could imagine on one spread. Among everything was a large pot of fragrant rice, golden from saffron, studded with fried nuts and fresh fruit.
The moment of recognition
It was the first time I understood that rice could be something other than a base for curry. The saffron, the sweetness of the fruit, the crunch of the fried cashews and almonds, the ghee underneath everything — rich without being heavy. I went back for more.
The recipe
- 2 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 min and drained
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of saffron soaked in ¼ cup warm milk (see note)
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup cashews
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup apple, chopped
- ¼ cup pear, chopped
- ¼ cup grapes, halved
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- A few mint leaves
- Bloom the whole spices. Heat ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Let them sizzle 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Toast the rice. Add the drained rice and fry gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat each grain with ghee.
- Cook the rice. Add salt, saffron milk, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and cook 18–20 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
- Fry the nuts and raisins. While rice cooks, heat ghee in a small pan. Fry almonds, cashews, and raisins until golden. Drain and keep aside.
- Fluff and plate. When rice is done, fluff gently with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish.
- Add the garnish. Scatter fried nuts and raisins over the rice. Add fresh fruit on top. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.