Kashmiri Fruit and Nut Pulao in Instant Pot – A simple and delicious saffron flavoured pulao topped with fruits and nuts. This Pulao is mildly spicy with a tinge of sweetness from the fruits and also aromatic. Serve this Instant Pot Kashmiri Pulao with a curry or raita of your choice.
Kashmiri Fruit and Nut Pulao
If you are looking to make something different, do try this Kashmiri Fruit and Nut Pulao. It is one of the easiest pulao recipes. Basmati Rice cooked in ghee and saffron, enhances the flavour of this Pulao. It is slightly on the sweeter side because of the fruits and nuts garnish. When I say sweet, it is not the sweet taste from Sugar. Just the mild sweetness of the raisins and fruits. I would say, this Pulao tastes really mild and has a balance of flavours. Also, it looks so beautiful and rich. Just perfect for parties and festivals.
Kashmiri cuisine is the cuisine of the Kashmir Valley in India. Rice is the staple food of Kashmiris and has been so since ancient times. Kashmir is known for its beauty as well as its Cuisine. The recipes from this particular cuisine are pretty rich in taste and flavours. Kashmir is known as the Paradise of India and the weather is mostly cold throughout the year. So, the rich flavours are super comforting for the weather.
I have tasted Kashmiri Dum Aloo and Kashmiri Pulao in a few restaurants. This is my humble attempt of replicating the Pulao to the best of my ability. This may not be the authentic way of making it. But it tastes really good! Every time I make this Pulao, the house is filled with a lovely aroma. You need to make it to believe what I am saying!
Ingredients Used
How to make this Pulao in Instant Pot
Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 minutes. Soak the saffron strands in warm milk and keep them aside.
SWITCH ON the INSTANT POT and set it on SAUTE mode. Add ghee and let it melt. Once ghee melts and the pot is hot, add the whole spices and green chilli. Fry for 30 seconds till a nice aroma comes.
Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the POT and SAUTE for a minute. CANCEL SAUTE MODE. Add the saffron-soaked milk, water, garam masala and salt. Close the POT with the lid and make sure the vent is in SEALING position.
Set the Instant Pot on PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes.When the timer beeps, wait for 5 minutes and then release the remaining pressure.
While the rice is cooking, heat ghee in a frying pan. Add the sliced onions. Fry the onions till they are golden, caramelized and crisp. Remove and keep it aside. Next, fry the paneer cubes till golden brown. Keep it aside.
In the same pan, fry the nuts till they become golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Next, add the raisins and saute till it turns golden and puffs up. Keep it aside. Cut apples into medium cubes, Peel the pomegranate, remove the seeds and keep them aside.
Once the rice is done, open the INSTANT POT, garnish with finely chopped coriander & mint leaves, fried onions, fried paneer cubes and the fried nuts and raisins. Finally, add the cut fruits. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes and gently fluff the rice without breaking it and serve hot.
Tips & Suggestions
If you are someone who doesn’t prefer raisins in your rice, feel free to omit them.
Apart from walnuts and cashews, you can also use almonds in this recipe.
Using good quality Basmati Rice and saffron is very important to get a beautiful flavour.
Though ghee brings out the best flavours, feel free to use oil if you are Vegan.
Apart from apple, pomegranate and grapes, you can add pineapple and guava too.
You can also add vegetables to this Pulao. Cauliflower, potato, peas, carrots, beans are a few of the Vegetables that can be added.
If you don’t own an Instant Pot, make this on the Stovetop. You can either pressure cook the rice on a stovetop cooker or you can cook the rice in a regular stovetop pan. It is as simple as that.
Serving Suggestions
Instant Pot Kashmiri Pulao tastes great when served with simple raita. I usually serve it with an apple or pomegranate raita. Since this pulao is mild, you can also pair it up with some rich and delicious gravy. Try serving it with Bhindi Masala, Green Peas Masala or Vegetable Kurma and enjoy your meal.
Other Instant Pot Recipes you may like
Instant Pot Coconut Milk Pulao – A simple and delicious Vegetable Pulao made in Instant Pot and flavoured with Coconut Milk
Vegetable Kurma – Rich and Flavourful South Indian Vegetable Kurma in Instant Pot
Rice Kheer – A rich and creamy Indian Dessert
Semiya Kesari – A quick Indian dessert made using Vermicelli
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Kashmiri Fruit and Nut Pulao in Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 10 Cashews
- 10 Walnuts
- 2 tbsp Raisins
- 4 tbsp Milk
- 1/4 tsp Saffron Strands
- 1 Onion Sliced
- 1 slit Green Chilli
- Salt To taste
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 & 1/2 cups Water
- 1/4 cup Paneer
- 1/2 cup Fruits I used grapes, pomegranate and apple
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Star Anise
- 1/4 tsp Fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves Finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Mint Leaves Finely Chopped
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak the saffron in warm milk and keep it aside.
- Wash and soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
- Cut the fruits and keep them ready.
- Cut Paneer into small cubes and keep it aside.
- Thinly slice the onions, slit the green chilli and finely chop some mint & coriander leaves. Keep them ready.
To Cook the Rice
- SWITCH ON the INSTANT POT and set it on SAUTE mode. Add 1 tbsp ghee and let it melt. Once the ghee melts and the pot is hot, add fennel seeds, cardamom, star anise, bay leaf & cinnamon. Also, add the green chilli. Fry for 30 seconds till a nice aroma comes.
- Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the POT and SAUTE for a minute. CANCEL SAUTE MODE. Add the saffron-soaked milk, water, garam masala and required amount of salt.
- Close the POT with the lid and make sure the vent is in SEALING position. Set the Instant Pot on PRESSURE COOK mode for 5 minutes.When the timer beeps, wait for 5 minutes and then release the remaining pressure.
For the Fruits and Nuts
- While the rice is cooking, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a frying pan. Add the sliced onions. Fry the onions till they are golden, caramelized and crisp. Remove and keep it aside. Next, fry the paneer cubes till golden brown. Keep it aside.
- In the same pan, fry the nuts till they become golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Next, add the raisins and saute till it turns golden and puffs up. Keep it aside. Cut apples into medium cubes, Peel the pomegranate, remove the seeds and keep them aside.
- Once the rice is done, open the INSTANT POT, garnish with finely chopped coriander & mint leaves, fried onions, paneer and the fried nuts and raisins. Finally, add the cut fruits. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes and gently fluff the rice without breaking it and serve hot.
Notes
Apart from apple, pomegranate and grapes, you can add pineapple and guava too.
You can also add vegetables to this Pulao. Cauliflower, potato, peas, carrots, beans are a few of the Vegetables that can be added.
If you don’t own an Instant Pot, make this on the Stovetop. You can either pressure cook the rice on a stovetop cooker or you can cook the rice in a regular stovetop pan. It is as simple as that.
