Kaju pulao recipe with step by step photos – simple, easy and tasty one-pot cashew pulao.
Kaju pulao is the simplest pulao that you can make and yet tastes so good. The flavors of cashews come through in this pulao.
Its best to serve this kaju pulao with a shorba or any side veg gravy. It also goes well with paneer based gravies like palak paneer, paneer butter masala, paneer lababdar. Even a dal tadka or dal fry will go well.
You can even accompany an onion tomato raita with this pulao. Obviously, the addition of cashews makes this pulao rich, so you can make this pulao once in a while or for guests or festive occasions. The recipe can be easily doubled.
This is a no-fuss recipe and all you need is to slice onions and crush some ginger-garlic to paste if you do not have ready-made paste. I have used the pressure cooker to make the pulao, but even in a deep pot or pan, this pulao can be made. Cashew pulao also can be packed in tiffin box.
How to make kaju pulao
1. Rinse 1 heaped cup basmati rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch.
2. then soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice and keep aside. Also slice 1 medium to large onion and crush 2 to 3 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger in a mortar-pestle. You can also use ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste instead. Keep all the spices ready.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a pressure cooker. Instead of ghee you can also use oil.
4. Then add all the following whole spices – 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf), 5 to 6 black peppers, 1.5 inch cinnamon, ½ tsp shah jeera (caraway seeds), 1 black cardamom, 2 green cardamoms, 3 cloves and 1 or 2 single strands of mace. Saute till they crackle and turn fragrant. Instead of shah jeera, you can also use cumin seeds.
5. Add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.
6. Mix well and begin to saute the onions on a low to medium flame.
7. Saute the onions till they start to turn golden.
8. Add ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste.
9. Mix very well and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
10. Now add 25 to 30 cashews.
11. Mix and saute for a minute.
12. Add the soaked rice.
13. Season with salt.
14. Mix the rice very well with the rest of the ingredients.
15. Pour 1.75 cups water and stir. for an al dente texture in the rice, add 1.5 cups water. check the taste of the water and it should taste a bit salty. If not, then add a bit more salt. cover and pressure cook on medium flame for 7 to 8 minutes or 2 to 3 whistles.
16. When the pressure falls down in the cooker naturally, then open the lid. Gently fluff the rice.
17. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and Serve kaju pulao with your favorite veg curry or paneer gravy like matar paneer, paneer pasanda, shahi paneer, paneer tikka masala or shorba.
More pulao varieties
- Pulao – made with mix vegetables
- Peas pulao
- Paneer pulao
- Tawa pulao.
- Yakhni pulao
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Kaju Pulao
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
main ingredients
- 1 cup heaped basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice, soaked in enough water for 30 minutes
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 medium to large onion or 65 grams onion or ½ cup thinly sliced onions
- ½ tsp ginger garlic paste or 2 to 3 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger crushed in a mortar-pestle
- 25 to 30 cashews
- salt as required
- 1.75 cups water for pressure cooking
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves for garnish
whole spices
- 1 small to medium tej patta
- 5 to 6 black peppers
- 1.5 inch cinnamon
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamom/
- 3 cloves
- 1 or 2 single strands of mace
Instructions
preparation
- Rinse 1 heaped cup basmati rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch.
- Then soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain all the water from the rice and keep aside.
- Also slice 1 medium to large onion and crush 2 to 3 garlic cloves + 1/2 inch ginger in a mortar-pestle. You can also use 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste instead. Keep all the spices ready.
making kaju pulao
- Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a pressure cooker.
- Then add all the whole spices mentioned above and saute till they crackle and turn fragrant.
- Now add the sliced onions and saute stirring often, till the onions turn golden.
- Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Add the cashews and saute for a minute.
- Add the soaked rice. Season with salt.
- Mix the rice gently with the rest of the ingredients. pour water and stir.
- Cover and pressure cook the pulao for 2 to 3 whistles or 7 to 8 minutes on medium flame.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid, gently fluff the rice.
- Serve kaju pulao garnished with some chopped coriander leaves. You can serve with any veg or paneer gravy or shorba of your choice.
Notes
- This is a mild pulao. For some heat, you can add 1 or 2 green chilies.
- You can also add some mint leaves and coriander leaves while preparing the kaju pulao.
- Instead of coriander leaves, you can also garnish with mint leaves.
- Instead of caraway seeds, you can also use cumin seeds.
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Thanks Dassana for sharing this – it tasted really good with mild aroma. I have s question regarding the black cardamom. Do i have do use it die n while or crack it to release the seeds? Thanks a lot!
thanks thomas for sharing the feedback. yes, kaju pulao has a nice mild aroma and a good taste. no need to crack the black cardamom. the whole cardamom pod is added to the oil.