Nepali Pulao

Rich and heavy. Made generally in winter time.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Basmati rice
• 750 gms. mutton
• ghee
• dalchini
• cloves
• small elaichi
• big elaichi
• sliced onions
• salt
• 250 gms ginger
• 200 gms flake of garlic
• cashewnuts (optional)
• almonds (optional)
• Bouquet garni: chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped onion, dhaniya seeds, jeera seeds, big elaichi, whole red dry chillies, dalchini, tej patta and cloves tied in a muslin cloth.

Method:

Soak rice for 1/2 an hour. Boil mutton with bouquet garni and salt. Strain, squeeze out all liquid from bouquet garni. Should make about 7 cups of stock. Separate meat from bones.

Heat ghee. Add dalchini, cloves, small and big elaichi. Then fry sliced onions till golden brown. Add soaked rice. Saute till it starts sticking. Add the stock - check for salt and cook till done.

In a separate frying pan, fry 2 sliced onions till brown. Cut 200 gms of ginger into thin round slices and fry till brown. Fry 200 gms of garlic flakes till brown. Fry the meat as well. Each item has to be fried separately. If desired also fry some cashewnuts and blanched sliced almonds.

Now gently mix all the fried ingredients into the rice and serve.