Kashmiri Pulao with Dried Fruits
Fragrant basmati rice simmered with whole spices and saffron, then folded with ghee-fried almonds, cashews, raisins and apricots and topped with crisp golden onions. Mildly sweet, aromatic and festive, it is a classic centerpiece for a feast.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Makes
- About 7 cups (6 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Rice needs a 30-minute soak, so start there. Do the chopping and the saffron milk while it soaks.
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. A loose lid lets steam escape and leaves the rice undercooked on top.
- Measure the water exactly. Soaked basmati needs 1½ cups water per 1 cup (200 g) rice.
- Have all ingredients prepped before you start frying. The nuts, fruit and onions go quickly.
Rinse and soak rice
- Put the basmati in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
- Swirl gently with your fingers, pour off the cloudy water and repeat 4–5 times until the water runs mostly clear.
- Cover with fresh cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain in a fine-mesh strainer for at least 5 minutes, shaking occasionally.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Grains look opaque white and are slightly longer; they snap easily when pressed
Tip: Handle the rice gently. Rough stirring snaps the grains and makes the pulao gummy.
Steep saffron milk
- While the rice soaks, warm the milk until steaming and hot to the touch (not boiling).
- Stir in the crushed saffron and set aside to steep for at least 15 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Milk turns deep golden-orange and smells floral
Tip: Steeping happens during the rice soak, so it adds no extra time.
Fry nuts and fruit
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the ghee in the pot over medium heat.
- Add the almonds and cashews and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the raisins and apricots and stir for 30 seconds.
- Scoop everything onto a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the ghee in the pot.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Nuts are light golden and raisins puff up and plump
Tip: Nuts keep darkening from residual heat, so remove them as soon as they are pale golden.
Brown the onions
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee to the same pot and keep the heat at medium.
- Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring every minute or so, for 10–12 minutes.
- Lower the heat if they darken too quickly.
- Remove about one-third of the onions to the plate with the nuts for garnish.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onions are deep golden brown with dark edges and smell sweet, not bitter
Tip: Burnt onions turn the whole pot bitter. If they brown unevenly, add a splash of water and stir.
Bloom the spices
- With the remaining onions still in the pot over medium heat, add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, peppercorns and cumin seeds.
- Stir for about 1 minute, then add the ginger and ground fennel and stir for 30 seconds more.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cumin seeds sizzle and darken slightly and the kitchen smells strongly aromatic
Toast the rice
- Add the drained rice.
- Fold gently with a spatula for about 2 minutes so each grain is coated in ghee and spices.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Grains look glossy and slightly translucent at the edges
Add water and boil
- Pour in the water and add the remaining salt, plus half of the fried nuts and fruit from the plate (leave the onions on the plate).
- Stir once, then bring to a full boil over high heat.
- Boil uncovered, without stirring, for 4–5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Water has dropped to the level of the rice and small steam holes appear on the surface
Tip: Do not stir after this point. Stirring releases starch and makes the rice sticky.
Steam covered
- Drizzle the saffron milk over the top of the rice in a few spots.
- Cover with the tight lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 12–14 minutes without lifting the lid.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Surface looks dry and a grain pressed between your fingers is tender with no hard center
Tip: If your lid is loose, put a clean kitchen towel under it to trap steam.
Rest off heat
- Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered and undisturbed for 10 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rice is fluffy and no liquid pools at the bottom
Tip: Skipping the rest makes the rice sticky and fragile.
Fluff and garnish
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, then fluff the rice with a fork, lifting from the bottom so the saffron streaks mix in.
- Transfer to a serving platter and top with the reserved crisp onions, remaining nuts and fruit, and the pistachios if using.
- Serve warm.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Grains are separate, long and fluffy with orange-gold streaks
Tip: Leave the whole cardamom, cloves and peppercorns in; just warn guests not to bite into them.
Good to know
Tips
- Aged basmati holds its shape best. Fresh or lower-quality rice may need about 2 tablespoons less water.
- Crush the saffron in your fingers and steep it in hot milk; this extracts much more color and aroma than adding threads directly.
- Don't over-sweeten: the fruit should be a subtle accent, so stick to the quantities given.
- Serve with raita, a vegetable curry or lamb rogan josh for a full Kashmiri meal.
Make ahead
"Soak and drain the rice up to 2 hours ahead, keeping it covered in the strainer. Fry the nuts, fruit and onions up to 1 day ahead and store them airtight at room temperature (re-crisp onions in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes)."
Storage & reheating
"Cool within 1 hour of cooking. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months in portions. Do not leave at room temperature more than 1 hour, since cooked rice can harbor bacteria. Reheat with 1 tablespoon water per cup of rice, covered, in a microwave for 1–2 minutes or in a pan over low heat for 5 minutes, until steaming hot throughout."
Substitutions
- ghee → half unsalted butter and half neutral oil. Gives a similar richness, but with less nutty flavor.
- dried apricots → dried figs or pitted dates, same weight. Chop small; the pulao will taste slightly sweeter.
- whole milk → warm water or unsweetened oat milk. Makes the dish dairy-free and still colors the rice.
- raw cashews → walnuts, roughly chopped. Walnuts are common in Kashmiri cooking; fry them for only 1 minute.