PARSI PULAO DAL

Keeping up my promise to share Parsi recipes this month here is my recipe for Pulao Dal. It is a mutton pulao eaten with dal that is cooked with veggies and spices. Pulao can be eaten as-is but on auspicious occasions is always served with the dal. This pulao recipe is from my sister-in-law Cheri who is a fabulous cook and the dal recipe is my Granny’s. This recipe takes slightly long to make but it is definitely worth the effort!

The meat is marinated overnight with yogurt and spices. This allows the meat to get tender and it melts in your mouth after it is cooked. I always make pulao with goat meat but you can also use lamb. Goat meat is best cooked slow or it will get tough and chewy. Make sure not to add too much water to the meat. You want it dry once it is cooked. Rice is flavored with whole spices and then layered with the meat. The sprinkling of saffron on each layer of rice adds a pretty golden color and flavor. The ghee helps to keep the rice moist as it cooks in the oven.

This dal is pretty similar to the dhansak dal but does not have meat. Dhansak masala, which is a blend of roasted powdered spices is added to this dal.

You can also serve the pulao with a cold raita and onion kachumbar (salad). Here is how I make it… 

[penci_recipe]