Christmas is hands down the most wonderful time of the year! Everyone is so busy, shopping and stressing to get things done. Many taking time off from work for the season, with families and friends coming together to celebrate the festivities. The snow outside, warmth of the fireplace inside, carols playing on the radio, decorating, cookies baking in the oven, watching holiday movies. There is joy, hope and excitement in the air, stressful, yet magical.
Going down memory lane to when I was a teen in Mumbai. Christmas morning was extremely joyful to wake up and see the house beautifully decorated, the tree and crib all lit up. Platter filled with a variety of homemade sweets ready for guests. Above all, we were excited to wear our new outfit and distribute treats to our neighbours. One in particular from North Goa would cook this beef pulao. She insisted we stay over for lunch so I used to watch her while she made it. The beef was cut into very tiny cubes with the pulao done in a pressure cooker. It was ready in no time and was incredibly delicious. Noticed that it was her tradition and every Christmas, she cooked the beef pulao. Do try it, you never know it may be a traditional dish at your household too.
Going down memory lane to when I was a teen in Mumbai. Christmas morning was extremely joyful to wake up and see the house beautifully decorated, the tree and crib all lit up. Platter filled with a variety of homemade sweets ready for guests. Above all, we were excited to wear our new outfit and distribute treats to our neighbours. One in particular from North Goa would cook this beef pulao. She insisted we stay over for lunch so I used to watch her while she made it. The beef was cut into very tiny cubes with the pulao done in a pressure cooker. It was ready in no time and was incredibly delicious. Noticed that it was her tradition and every Christmas, she cooked the beef pulao. Do try it, you never know it may be a traditional dish at your household too.
Quick Beef Pulao In Pressure Cooker
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 kg boneless beef
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
6 cloves
4 green cardamoms
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5-inch each)
4 large garlic cloves (minced)
1-inch piece of ginger (grated)
3 vegetable maggi cubes (4 grams each)
3 1/2 cups beef bone stock or water
1 1/2 large onions (chopped, around 3 cups)
2 green chillies (sliced)
1 large tomato (chopped)
1/4 cup oil
salt
Method:
Cut beef into small strips or cubes. Wash, drain well and season with salt. Set aside.
Wash rice, drain and keep it ready. Do not soak.
In a large wide bottomed pressure cooker, heat the oil and add onions along with bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. When onions are light brown, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a while and then add the turmeric powder, green chillies and tomato. Once the tomato is soft and pulpy, add the beef, brown well. Then stir in the rice to coat every grain with oil.
Incorporate the stock or water and mix well. Sprinkle very little salt. Close cooker, put the weight and cook on medium flame. After the first whistle, shut off the flame. Only one whistle and do not remove the weight or open cooker for 15 minutes. After the indicated time, remove weight, open the cooker and with a fork gently move the rice around.
Serve steaming hot pulao with your favourite side dishes.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 kg boneless beef
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
6 cloves
4 green cardamoms
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5-inch each)
4 large garlic cloves (minced)
1-inch piece of ginger (grated)
3 vegetable maggi cubes (4 grams each)
3 1/2 cups beef bone stock or water
1 1/2 large onions (chopped, around 3 cups)
2 green chillies (sliced)
1 large tomato (chopped)
1/4 cup oil
salt
Method:
Cut beef into small strips or cubes. Wash, drain well and season with salt. Set aside.
Wash rice, drain and keep it ready. Do not soak.
In a large wide bottomed pressure cooker, heat the oil and add onions along with bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. When onions are light brown, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a while and then add the turmeric powder, green chillies and tomato. Once the tomato is soft and pulpy, add the beef, brown well. Then stir in the rice to coat every grain with oil.
Incorporate the stock or water and mix well. Sprinkle very little salt. Close cooker, put the weight and cook on medium flame. After the first whistle, shut off the flame. Only one whistle and do not remove the weight or open cooker for 15 minutes. After the indicated time, remove weight, open the cooker and with a fork gently move the rice around.
Serve steaming hot pulao with your favourite side dishes.
Note:
- The rice to water ratio for every 1 cup of rice is 2 cups of water. I always add 1/2 cup less water or stock. Rice cooks perfectly with the moisture and steam in the cooker.
- India Gate Rozzana basmati rice was used for making this beef pulao.
- Always use a wide bottomed pressure cooker to cook pulao. This gives the rice grains enough room to spread and bloom. I cooked two cups rice in a 5 litre prestige pressure cooker.
- Instead of turmeric powder, you can add a pinch of saffron.
- If bone stock has too much fat, refrigerate overnight and then, discard the solidified fat. Alternatively, use less oil to make the pulao.
- Vegetable cubes can be substituted with beef ones.
- Beef can be reduced to 300 grams.
