Chicken is one of our favorite dish at home. Saffron means zaffran and the recipe consist of whole Indian garam masala, curds, herbs, tomato and chicken. Zaffrani Pulao Recipe is a classic dish from Hyderabad, so simple to make yet so classy and flavorful.
About Zaffrani Tikka Chicken Pulao Recipe: A rich and exotic rice recipe, perfect for a dinner party. Zaffrani Pulao has basmati rice well cooked in saffron, nuts and cardamom. Laced with a luscious mix of milk and sugar, this pulao recipe is simple and easy.
Zaffrani Pulao Recipe is a very simple and easy but exotic Pulao recipe from Indian Cuisine. Zaffrani Pulao or Saffron rice, needs no introduction. As the name suggests, it is flavoured with Saffron, topped with nuts and raisins.
A no fuss rice recipe that you can make for festivals /special occasions or weekend meal with your favourite curries. An aromatic blend of whole spices like cardamom, bay leaf, cinnamon with saffron, topped with dry fruits like almonds and cashews, gives it a royal touch apt for the meals to be enjoyed with your loved ones.
Zaffrani comes from Zafran from Urdu language, which is another name for Saffron or Kesar(Hindi name). The Pulao is known to be cooked in the royals kitchen of Awadh and Hyderabad( mainly the non-vegetarian version) or served with no vegetarian curries like Chicken and Mutton masala. It is vegetarian version minus meat is now popularly served in restaurants or parties and special occasions. Though it is a no fuss and very easy recipe but since the Worlds most expensive spice Saffron is added here, it is not an everyday meal item.
Saffron as we all know is the worlds expensive spice. 40 hrs of labor are needed to pick 150,000 flowers. Saffron is actually the Stigma of these flowers. Stigmas are dried quickly upon extraction and (preferably) sealed in airtight containers.
Medicinally, saffron has a long history as part of traditional healing, modern medicine has also discovered saffron as having anticarcinogenic (cancer-suppressing), immunity boasting and antioxidant-like properties.
Early studies show that saffron may protect the eyes from the direct effects of bright light and retinal stress. Saffron has also been used as a fabric dye, particularly in China and India.
The best part of Zaffrani pulao is it is a one pot dish and you are done with your meal. This pulao goes well with onion salad, yogurt raita or green salad. Unlike other pulao this is not dry it is moist, aromatic and would crave you to eat more. Serve the Zaffrani pulao with fried eggs over it and salad as accompaniment.
Ingredients for Zaffrani Chicken Tikka Pulao
Steps for Zaffrani Chicken Tikka Pulao
Zaffrani Chicken Tikka Pulao
Ingredients
1 pinch Saffron Strands
7 to 8 Kashmiri Red Chillies
7 to 8 Dried Red Chillies
2 to 3 piece Bay Leaf
2 piece Cinnamon
1 piece Maze
7 to 8 Cloves
Small piece of Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Peppercorns
Half teaspoon White Pepper Powder
8 Green Cardamoms
1 Star Anise
2 Black Cardamom
3 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
1 tablespoon Dried Rose Petals
Half spoon Turmeric Powder
1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Black Salt
1 teaspoon Dried Mango Powder
4 tablespoon Curd
Half teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
1 tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Half teaspoon Saffron Water
700 grams Chicken
1/3rd cup Curd
1 medium Tomato
2 Green Chillies
1tablespoon Tikka Masala
2 tablespoon Oil
2 piece Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamoms
2 Black Cardamoms
4 to 6 Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds –Shahjeera
2 medium Onions
1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 teaspoon Salt
1litre Water
Salt
Mint Leaves
Fresh Coriander
2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
500 gram Basmati Rice
Saffron Water
Fresh Coriander
Steps
Take 500 grams of basmati rice, wash it and soak in water for 30 minutes.
Take 1 tablespoon hot water in a small pot, add a pinch of saffron in it mix it and let it soak.
Now let us prepare the tikka masala.
To prepare the tikka masala Heat a pan now dry roast 7 to 8 Kashmiri red chillies and 7 to 8 dried red chillies on low flame for 2 minutes.
Then remove them from the pan and place in a dish.
Now in the same pan dry roast 2 to 3 piece bay leaf, 2 piece cinnamon, 1 piece maze, 7 to 8 cloves, small piece of nutmeg, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, half teaspoon white pepper, 8 green cardamoms, 1 star Anise, 2 black cardamom, 3 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, on low flame for 2 minutes.
Then off the flame and add 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 tablespoon dried rose petals, mix them well with the hot spices.
Then grind all the spices with the roasted Red Chillies into a powder, then add half spoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black salt, 1 teaspoon dried mango powder to the grinded powder and grind them again with these spices into a fine powder.
Your tikka masala powder is ready.
You can store this tikka masala in air tight container and preserve it for up to 6 months.
In a bowl take 4 tablespoon curd, half teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 1 tablespoon mustard oil, 1 tablespoon tikka masala powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, take half teaspoon saffron water from the soaked water and keep half teaspoon for the pulao. Now mix this spices with the curd.
Take 700 grams of chicken wash and dry it, put small slits on the chicken pieces so that the masala will infuse deeply into the chicken properly.
Now add the chicken pieces to the curd mixture mix it well, then in the centre of the bowl place a small Katori and add a burning coal in it pour few drops of oil on the burning coal ,cover it and keep it for 15 minutes to give a smoky flavour to the chicken pieces.
After 15 minutes remove the coal and Katori from the chicken and then cover and let it marinate for one hour.
In a bowl take 1/3rd cup curd ,One medium tomato cut into round thin pieces, 2 chopped green chillies, 1 tablespoon tikka masala mix it well.
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces in the oil for 10 to 12 minutes by turning it on both sides and then cover the pan and cook on low flame till the chicken is tender.
Take a big heavy bottom pot in which you want to cook the pulao, heat 2 tablespoon oil, add 2 piece cinnamon stick, 2 Green cardamoms, 2 black cardamoms, 4 to 6 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds - Shahjeera sauté for 10 seconds, then add 2 medium size sliced onions fry the onions till golden, then add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, stir fry the ginger garlic paste with the onions for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes add the curd tomato mixture to it add 1 teaspoon salt mix it well and sauté on high flame for 1 minute and then cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
Now check the chicken pieces if done remove the chicken pieces and in the pan there will be left some masala and oil so add this masala with the oil to the cooking tomato gravy in the pot and mix it well.
Then add 1litre water, some salt for the rice, some chopped mint and coriander leaves, 2 teaspoon lemon juice mix it and let it come to a boil.
Then drain the water from the soaked basmati rice and add the basmati rice to the boiling pot, mix it well and cook on high flame for 7 to 8 minutes till 80% of water is dried up from the rice.
Now mix the rice with light hands and then place the fried chicken pieces on top of the Rice, then pour the remaining Saffron water, sprinkle some fresh coriander and place some slices of tomato, then cover and cook it on them low flame for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes of the film and let the pulao rest for 10 to 15 minutes
Serve hot with Raita and salad.
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Tips; *Cook on low heat. Alternatively you could use a pressure cooker I have used a pan with a lid. *Add chili powder as per your preference. If you like hot add more chili powder. *This is a no fuss recipe and you can easily prepare it in one pot. Select a heavy bottomed pan or kadhai. You can make it in pressure cooker also. *Wash rice 2-3 times water. Soak for at least 20-30 mins. *Add water 1 cup more than the quantity of rice. That means, if for 1 cup rice add about then add about 2 cups of water. *Keep aside some fried nuts for garnish. *Keep the rice covered for about 5-10 mins. after pulao is cooked. *Use a fork to fluff the rice and do it very gently, else rice grains will break and pulao will become mushy.
