Basanti Polao/ Holud Polao/Misti Polao
Basanti polao or “holud” polao is a sweet rice made mostly from gobindobhog rice. Gobindobhog is a white, aromatic rice having sweet buttery flavor. This dish is mostly prepared on the sweeter side. It goes best with aloor dom, kosha mangsho. This polao can be a part of your celebration or festive platter.
Important points to keep in mind:
- Basanti Polao tastes best with Gobindobhog or Kalijeera rice. However, if absolutely not available, you can try making the polao with basmati rice.
- The rice is fried before boiling to enhance the aroma. However, care must be taken not to over fry the rice.
- Care must also be taken on the amount of water added. The amount of water needed to boil the rice completely is usually double the amount of rice. This amount might slightly vary according the quality of the rice.Some water must always be reserved in case needed.
- After addition of sugar, the rice must be tossed very carefully not to break the rice grains.
- After turning of the flame the rice should be allowed to rest at least for an hour for it to absorb all the residual moisture.
Step by step instructions to prepare basanti polao
Wash the rice properly few times to remove the excess starch from rice. Keep the rice on kitchen towel to absorb the excess water.
Once the rice is dry, add ghee and turmeric powder and mix properly to the rice. Add the grated ginger to the rice and mix carefully. Let the rice rest for at least 20 minutes.
Take a deep-bottomed pan. To it add ghee and heat it. To it add the cashews and raisins and fry them till slightly golden. Remove them and keep it on a plate.
To the remaining ghee, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods, peppercorns and cloves and let them release the aroma.
Now, add the rice to the pot.
Saute the rice till the rice turns opaque.
Add about 3 cups of hot water along with the salt, cashew and raisins and cover and cook the rice on low-medium heat. Add the green chilies.
Once the rice is cooked, add the sugar. Gently stir to mix properly. Vigorous mixing will lead to breakage of the rice grains.
Let the rice rest for at least an hour before you serve.
Basanti Polao/Holud Polao
Ingredients
- 1½ cup of gobindobhog/Kalijeera rice washed and air dried.
- 1 inch of cinnamon stick broken into pieces
- 2 tablespoons of ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 4-5 cloves
- 12-15 cashew nuts split
- 12-15 raisins soaked in water
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1½ teaspoon of grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 3 cups of hot water
- 2 green chilies slit
Instructions
- Wash the rice properly few times to remove the excess starch from rice. Keep the rice on kitchen towel to absorb the excess water.
- Spread the rice properly on kitchen towel to air dry the rice.
- Once the rice is dry, add the turmeric powder and ghee and mix properly to the rice. Add the grated ginger to the rice and mix carefully. Let the rice rest for at least 20 minutes.
- Take a deep-bottomed pan, add ghee and heat it.To the hot ghee add the cashews and raisins and fry them till slightly golden. Remove them and keep it on a plate.
- To the remaining ghee, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cloves and let them release the aroma.
- Now, add the rice and saute the rice till the rice turns opaque.
- Add about 2 cups of hot water along with the salt and cover and cook the rice. (See Important points above)
- Cover and cook the rice on low-medium heat. Add the slit green chilies, cashews and the raisins.
- Once the rice is cooked, add the sugar. Gently stir to properly mix the sugar. Vigorous mixing will lead to breakage of the rice grains.
- Turn off the flame and serve with dish of your choice.
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